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PRESENTED BY 
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CHRISTIANITY versus WAR 


A Presentation of Scriptural and Christian 
Teaching upon the Subject of Carnal Warfare 
and the Taking of Human Life, together 
With Experiences of Conscientious Ob- 
jectors in the World War 


Compiled and Edited By 
ELDER D. C. MOOMAW 





The Press of 
The Brethren Publishing Co. 
Ashland, Ohio 
1924 


HOO OO OOeeoooswouveoen A ee eR Br I ti eee a i en Re elk — 


PEEBLES EB EEE EEO OO OOD OD ODO OOD DT OD 


This book is dedicated, as a 
memorial, to my beloved father, 
Elder B. F. Moomaw, and dear 


mother, who, by their loyalty to the 


fundamental doctrine of love and 
peace, as taught by our loving Lord 
in the New Testament, shielded 
their sons from the tragedies of the 
battlefields of the war of secession, 
in the sixties of last century, and 
also of: 


Our Beloved Son, Daniel Clo- 
vis Moomaw, who was sent to 
France and killed in the battle of 
the Argonne on October 5, 1918. 


ee i oO ee ee ow oe ee ee ae ee 


eee we eee ee 


PREFACE 


As the generations of men come and pass, authentic 
records of their lives illuminate the horizon of the past 
and give a prophetic forecast of the inevitable future. 


We are making history. This statement is supported 
by declaration in the blessed Book, that ‘‘no man 
liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself.’’ Every 
act that we perform, every word that we utter, our 
very thoughts that cast a gleam or gloom over our 
faces, yields its fruits, either for good or evil. 


Reeords of events which we pass on to the genera- 
tions yet unborn, have their harvest of results that up- 
lift or debase, as they are conformable to the spiritual 
agencies which taint or embellish them. 


Our lives are prefaces of the books, written or un- 
written, which posterity will print a thousand years 
hence, and we assume an awful responsibility when we 
appear on the stage as actors in the great drama. 

May we aspire to, and receive, a special benediction 
from the infinite Father, to the end that we may exem- 
plify the teaching of the immaculate Master in our 
lives, so that, even in our thoughts, we may illustrate 
our Loyalty to Him, reducing them to constant obedi- 
ence to the immortal Word. 


In this book we want to erystallize the foregoing 
suggestions and we pray for divine approval. 





i 
iv CONTENTS 
PART ONE 

PRELOMUCEION 0 pid'a jas: haratigie © ne Siecheh hie eda a neaea teem ONS Ae tala al 1 
PER VON Aig tie nik 30 Be. ojo Nadel Gat isthe tie oinlalS: chee abs nae ea 
Compilation of Scriptural Testimonies ..............ee.0% 5 
Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount ................ 27. 
Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer «2.6.2... cee cscte aun 37 
Exposition of the Golden Rule .............. 2c eee eee 47 
Exposition of First Corinthians, 13 ...........00.cccecee 51 
Be BLOOdY MUrden i.)e wie". oie bh2% e's lea soe oka aie ne Sa ‘es Un ga 
The’ Conscientious Objector... ioe .ies wee one eee eee 63 
Pre ;Diluvian (History oi .0 eh wae dae vene la tmia falas oy) SUN Ia tata 67 
Post Diluvian | History. oo) (co dbase anon Pata es) Baie As 73 
The Millennial Stage’. 3.'5:...:5 fous cet plete ane fy 
The Causes, of Carnal (War: .'. 25 3\Vicicbie cll eee ae 84 
The Tragedies of Carnal War .............. Seat Age aL alle ae 93 
Self Defense ......... teins 6 oo Ge el tee ehmiem a ulate fel alate ae eee ean 100 
Persecutions, plus Persecutions .............ccccceecceece 105 
Compromise plus Compromise .......... 0. cce cece ceccceee 109 
RSari plas Fear coe on's'e o,¢% sale sieantble aisle et kicke ott ae an 114 
Counter Testimonies and Arguments ..............000- beeps 
RF AMAMOREUTS “5 Pain hho Mieleiere aie seve Sn pp 't's fa tacit ne ate amen . 126 
GUGRLION ARTE) os %.500, 4 inet eho uinie Wi dic ise de hbk Rk ald De ee 129 
BECOMSENCTION 30), Jes sa ba hue Vedat ode ea ae eee 113 
Specific Reasons Why Carnal War is Wrong ............ 137 
Our Lord and Satan in‘ Alliance 020.0 20)! oA ee 139 
Paradoxical . ..3\0 64.5 Wy aielle, € ln SlataMhiptehe easly. dhalere Gatoe Bri sh ssp (142 
Hy DPOcrisy, \. < Aji Wied daa euis Uva oh Ped be ole 146 
Pugilism Alias Carnal) War ose) vcs (oe 152 
Enter-Affiliations oi. ee ba uy wih de boca 154 
The Psychology of the Reputed Christian Organizations 

Of the “World. ech ek atic ae t Eon oe 160 
The Church and The Washington Conference ............ 165 
The’Clerical Militant ..:.)00)03, ¢ 2c. Ge cea eee 165 
ane: Clerical Attitudes viiws we, eee Serer «+» 174 
Satan: His Ancestry, Vocation, Psychology and Destiny .. 178 
Forty-one ‘Syllogiams 25.0)034.. ; ge eae ee 187 


An Intereating Dream (00 ).40 56. 8 edea sce ene 193 


Contents Vv 





ROECAM ER AT OLMID NM ers dis) ale a wists) cheruie wlesioie ela aitie Riatele os am rokwiene 199 
My Son ....... PRR ie la eas ty A tis al At CRAM OR 203 
BOMOTINE jh), ai vate « POU VSHORRIE atilis MSFU tata. (a tei aaa Se sana YN 204 
UE HS a) Wiviela Niel dail id eld: Sabo ials ie’ shales searecescgardis’alal aletelertiateleus eiaraka wake 205 
BAD VEG REBBE SN ale Moa Ge ill Tele eEa Sta oe She a rime hakaita tienes 206 
OEMs SD TORALAUEM SYR CL DOEE Wl ahullgsn Wise aia sl bial ab: sient aia: a eaten ereha: a ietu pe ata 209 
RPA RO CMR ROA Hi Muh iets aiaie stale ieid'ecid\e'm Wiaseru a ale rata' prove shale 212 
The Orphan Boy ....... Peat neath MILLA Tibey diel y Cheha eeaNeserera 214 
PPE AEBUNGORE WD c'a% Clasico ele lee a elo We gh o's o @ Gaia ata 215 
UAE AUB LONGO WG OI) 5c) ciate a's aa suse ieladsld vlinie'ele « ae a aiclehtlgierg 216 
Pro-Clerical Militarism Diatribes ................00.00005 217 
auetPr ower OL LOVE) iin oie. ws oes Gee MAUE (Aha aight dicate an 219 
NETH AST ER OMI A sls chatata'd atal aie valatareicleln w dipikvave's'w al baila’ cr eitia Bale ely 219 
SST ICH Ee OMIDTOSSOLS) \./,)y'))5 0 2 Uaioe s ab isi Md (4.e slajeleejailis!eleia ah siege 221 
Mating Vor the, Bugle iii Geics esses siclee se Yarabinish viakerace otristesy 222 
PART THREE 
Special Testimony of The Church of The Brethren ........ 223 
aneLUIArtOs £0 Che Charen 61 oie)! cil aid'es, delete e's o'a's)eid emis cyele 225 
PEM POCL POU TODOS esi a's" vies, s/o 'om 8 aiole bin iia o @ Uayelele ons @ sie)el sate 226 
Brethren Drafted to Camp Meade ................00000- 227 
MTEC OMMORU MRE OIOTE Lies Sata ualae stale we aialocicubine aie seieicle 250 
Tribulations of Elder Reuel Pritchett ...................- 275 
MPAA MERU 2 G's) 4 0.16 a) o\sle ors ej tee dale ohe hin ateltbia\ so whaluie afar aiel stare 277 
Re TEER MILOR EL cle ctelalclo\s'a’s alae «ldielels mies, dete sible ielele Mrarsiatele(s 295 
Camp Dodge ......... IAPR Sa ES a NSE TINA RAL PSIRIE: of BULA 306 
Camp Funston and Fort Riley ............... larelerd lair qudtbie 312 
Perocterem) Na. OLU GTS IT OPISOM)!s's/'s 4 0's'«.c:4s\0,0 0(e,01¢ sieis miaiele ol « 316 
In the Military Dungeon ....... ehetal sie pia areverter aha lata cuaMane nite Take 317 
CROW the alsr. 4 olateie a BR aes ee eae NG cha aha Voc ultere oa ata jaile 327 
PME PRONE INNS alsi eo. > dllo's aletetuneiarn aial Tis, Sevelovd: «ie Sin tase w lata) ar ealy tate 333 


OST ES 7. Ok aR A MINE 0d BL AL A RC le 346 


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THE HORRORS OF WAR 
From the painting by Gustave Dore. 


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“aes 


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INTRODUCTION 


—_ 
—_—— 
——— 


~ 


In presenting the contents of this book to the genera- 
tion which is now in custody of the welfare of the 
world it is our wish and prayer that it be buttressed by 
immaculate truths and embellished by the radiance of 
thoughts, words, and actions in perfect accord with the 
mind and heart of our loving and beloved Master. 

It will contain records of events in the lives of men 
and women who have met and solved one of the gravest 
problems which the immortal Nazarene committed to 
His followers, that of adjusting our lives to His doc- 
trines when those doctrines come in conflict with the 
schemes of worldly government. 

The Apostles met the portentious issue in their day 
when the civil rulers commanded them ‘‘not to speak 
or teach at all in the name of Jesus.’’ 

The prompt and decisive reply was ‘‘whether it is 
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more 
than God, judge ye, but we cannot but speak the things 
we have seen and heard.’’ Within recent years we 
have been brought face to face with the same condi- 
tions. Our Lord, with an emphasis and decisiveness 
that cannot be gainsayed or logically refuted through- 
out his beautiful life, taught and preached the law of 
love and peace with all of its multitudinous variations 
and applications, the record of which is found on every 
page of the New Testament. This doctrine which is 
fundamental and which is the basis of the immortal 
superstructure was preemptorily set at nought during 
the recent war in Europe and America by our rulers, 
and our young men who were subject to the law of 


2 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





conscription were forced to enter the military service 
of the country. The emergency became exceedingly 
grave when they refused to obey military commands, 
and this book will record the history of those transac- 
tions. It will also embody current literature in advo- 
eacy of the peace doctrines of the New Testament, and 
that pertaining to criticism and antagonisms of those 
who took issue with us and disputed our right and ob- 
ligation to refuse obedience to commands which were 
contradictory to the commands of our Lord. 

There will be other features along the same general 
lines, all of which will be discussed! to show the church 
and the world that the only ground on which we can 
base a hope or prayer for the salvation of the world, is 
the acceptance of the gospel of love and peace, and 
that the church is the sole arbiter of the methods of its 
application to these imperative needs. 

We will also incorporate sketches of the attitude of 
other religious organizations which stood with ours in 
the great crisis. Quakers, Mennonites, and other or- 
ganizations emphasized their opposition to war, as we 
did by refusing to participate in any of the functions 
of the military regime and they partook with us the 
hardships which brutal militarism inflicts for disobe- 
dience to orders. 

There will be other features, which are intended to 
maintain, and promulgate the fundamental doctrine of 
love and peace as the supreme basis of the doctrine of 
our Lord and Master. 

One of the tragic anomalies of the passing genera- 
tions is the alignment of the vast majority of professing 
Christian and religious organizations with professional 
militaristic methods of carnal war in the administra- 
tion of civil governments, exceeding military leaders 
in the bestiality of that Satanic spirit. 

On this account it behooves us to stand more firmly 
for the doctrines of our dear Lord, that the principles 


PRAYER om 








for which he suffered, fought, and died should not per- 
ish from the earth, and leave its tortured millions of 
helpless, defenceless people in the hands of demons. 


I need not tell our readers that the doctrines which 
are specially stressed herein represent the attitude of 
the Church of the Brethren on the subject of peace and 
love as a fundamental element in our denomniational 
curriculum. With our people there is no midway be- 
tween brotherly love and carnal war, no compromise. 
Our position is the same whether war rages rampant or 
whether the lovable dove of peace sweetly coos the 
sacred refrain of ‘‘peace on earth and good will to- 
ward men.’’ It also affords us supreme pleasure to 
show that our Quaker and Mennonite brethren are ¢o- 
workers with us in the divinely ordained mission and 
suffered with our people rather than to imbue their 
hands and souls with the blood of the victims of war. 
Special mention is made of the great work which the 
Quakers did in alleviating the sufferings of the 
wounded soldiers and reconstructing the devastated 
areas of the war zones, in which they devoted millions 
of dollars and' employed thousands of their young men 
and women, to the glory of our peace loving Lord, far 
beyond the measure of our church. | 

We ask a prayerful consideration of the principles 
which we sponsor and advocate in this book, and test 
their loyalty to the teachings of the Lamb of God by 
comparison with the greatest of all books, The New 
Testament. 


PRAYER 


Our Loving Heavenly Father, at this time of great 
perplexity and trouble we come to Thee for Thy special 
help and comfort. This world, which lieth in wicked- 
ness, is torn asunder with wars and famines and pesti- 
lenees and millions of the peoples of the nations are 


4 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





perishing because they have forgotten Thee, and have 
set at nought the blessed gospel of love and peace 
which Thy well beloved Son, Jesus Christ, brought 
from Thee, and have done honor and homage to the 
gods of this world, to the lusts of the flesh and have 
accepted the inspiration of the great deceiver, Satan. 

In this time of our great sorrow and helplessness we 
come to Thee for strength and wisdom and grace which, 
alone, can cause the prince of evil to fail in his work of 
dominating the rulers of the nations, and their conse- 
quent destruction. We humbly pray Thee to demon- 
strate Thy infinite sovereignty by bringing to nought 
the counsels of the wicked rulers of the nations, and 
purging the world from the devices and wiles of the 
devil. 

We humbly beseech Thee to hasten the coming of 
Thy Son back to the world to destroy the power and 
kingdom of Satan and set up His kingdom of peace and 
love, so that ‘‘wars shall cease unto the ends of the 
earth and the bow shall be broken and the spear shall 
be cut asunder.’’ Psalm 46:9. 

We humbly beseech Thee to help Thy children who, 
in obedience to the command of our Savior, are 
‘‘preaching peace’’ in His blessed name that the time 
may speedily come when the hearts of the peoples of 
the world shall be purged from the lust for blood, and 
the doctrines of the gospel of our Lord shall be their 
consuming desire. 

We humbly beseech Thee to forgive the sins that we 
have committed against the gospel of Thy well beloved 
Son which have brought on us the great distress with 
which we are now afflicted and let Thy face shine upon 
us as it does in behalf of those who love and serve 
Thee out of a pure heart. 

We humbly beseech Thy special grace and blessing 
on this book and ordain, wilt thou, in thy infinite love, 
that it may be a benediction to those who read its pages 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 5) 


and bring into their hearts the precious message, 
through the Holy Ghost, that the greatest of all things 
in this world is love, and may its transforming power 
bring them into the image and likeness of our blessed 
Savior. We beseech Thee that it may be a beacon to 
illuminate the dark shores of a lost world, a trumpet 
signal, calling on the benighted peoples of the world 
to open their hearts to the gladsome message of ‘‘ Peace 
on earth and good will toward men.’’ 

We offer these supplications to Thee in the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ who told us when He was in the 
world that ‘‘ whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My 
name, He will give it to you.’’ (John 16:23). Amen. 





= 


Compilation Of Scriptural Testimonies In Favor 
Of Love And Peace And Goodwill And For- 
giveness Of Enemies, As They Are 
Recorded In The New Testament 


We present to the readers of this book a compilation 
of several hundred passages from the New Testament 
which treat, with a superlative emphasis, the doctrines 
of love and peace, the purpose of which is to develop 
certain psychological traits of character which form the 
basic fundations of formulas essential to the perfection 

of that relationship which should exist between peoples 
and nations, and between peoples and God. 

These scriptures are so clear in their verbal construc- 
tions, and their logical conclusions, and so definite in 
their interpretation, and so clear in their authorization, 
and so conspicuous in their adaptation to the divine 
purpose, that no person who is not mentally or spirit- 
ually obtuse can misunderstand or misapply them. 
When our Lord tells us that ‘‘peace-makers are the 
children of God’’ we know whose ehildren are the war- 
makers. When He says ‘‘It hath been said by them of 


6 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





old time, ‘‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but 
I say unto you resist not evil,’’ it is a waste of time to 
appeal to the O]d Testament for warrant to kill our 
enemies in war. When He says ‘‘we should love each 
other, not as Cain who slew his brother,’’ we would be 
fools to maintain that God will not condemn.-us for the 
killing of our brother in war, as he condemned Cain. 
When He tells us that ‘‘His kingdom is not of this 
world, else His disciples would fight that He would not 
be delivered to the Jews, ‘‘It would show spiritual 
blindness, deafness and dumbness, to justify war for 
any cause by warrant of our Lord. When He says 
‘‘whosoever killeth his brother is a murderer and no 
murderer hath eternal life’’; who, but Satan could, 
make the same person believe that he would not have 
to make his bed in hell if he killed a brother in war? 

When He says ‘‘by this shall all men know ye are my 
disciples if we have love one to another,’’ would it be 
inconsistent with sane reasoning to say, if we did not 
love each other we would be Satan’s disciples? 

When He says ‘‘I judge no man but the words I 
speak shall judge every man at the last day,’’ let the 
facts sink deep into our hearts that the words set forth 
in this compilation of passages will confront us when 
we appear before the Judge at the last day, and that 
they condemn or justify us as we obey or disobey them. 

In compiling the following extracts from the immac- 
ulate Testament we have only chosen those which bear 
unequivoeal relation to the subject of peace and love, 
as contra-distinct from hate and war. There are in- 
numerable passages that implicitly testify against war. 
In the inspired letters of the ordained Apostles the dis- 
ciples are uniformly referred to as ‘‘brother’’ or breth- 
ren and when that term is used war is logically con- 
demned. The term ‘‘brother’’ is a misnomer when men 
meet on the battle field with the avowed purpose to slay 
each other. 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES tH 





Kindred terms, such as ‘‘disciples,’’ ‘‘the elect,’ 
‘‘sheep,’’ the ‘‘new birth,’’ are spiritual antipodes to 
the spirit of war, and there are hundreds of them, many 
of which, singly, would be ample testimony condemna- 
tory of war. ‘‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses 
every word shall be established,’’ how much more when 
the number reaches up into the thousands? Even one 
of this vast number will suffice to establish the convic- 
tion that our salvation from hell is contingent on its 
observance. Let us note the testimony which is found 
in Matthew 5:43, 44. ‘‘Ye have heard that it hath been 
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine ene- 
my, but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them 
that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, and 
pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute 
VOU)!" 

And in Matthew 7:25, 27 we have the arbitrament of 
this matter as follows, ‘‘and every one that heareth 
' these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be lik- 
ened to a foolish man who built his house on the sands 
and it fell and great was the fall of it.”’ 

I adduce one other testimony, a correlation of the 
foregoing. ‘‘If a man say, I love God, and hateth his 
brother (killeth him in war) he is a liar, for if he loveth 
not his brother whom he hath seen how ean he love 
God whom he hath not seen?’’ John 4:20. 

We tell the readers of these excerpts that they will 
be judged by them in the final day. Our Lord has said 
‘‘T judge no man but the words I speak shall judge 
every man in the last day.’’ 

Shall men and women, who know that their salva 
tion is absolutely contingent on believing and obeying 
the gospel of our blessed Lord, as they find it in the 
New Testament, and from which these excerpts are 
‘taken, turn their faces and hearts to Satan, the arch 
deceiver, in repudiation of the blessed doctrine of love 
and peace and good will? May God forbid. 


8 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Matt. 3:16. ‘‘And Jesus, when He was baptized 
went up straightway out of the water, and, lo, the 
Heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the spirit 
of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him.’’ 
The Dove is the emblem of peace. 

Matt. 5:3. ‘‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs 
is the kingdom of heaven.’’ Spiritual pride is the acme 
of the administration of carnal war. 

Matt. 5:4. ‘‘Blessed are they that mourn for they 
shall be comforted.’’ Wars make mourners 

Matt. 5:5. ‘‘Blessed are the meek for they shall in- 
herit the earth.’’ Meekness is the antipode of the sp1r- 
it of war. 

Matt. 5:7. ‘‘Blessed are the mereiful for they shall 
obtain merey.’’ Merey is the antipode of the spirit of 
war, 

Matt. 5:9. ‘‘Blessed are the peace makers for they 
shall be called the children of God.’’ Whose children 
are the war-makers? 

Matt. 5:38. ‘‘It hath been said by them of old time. 
(Under the Mosaic law) an eye for an eye and a tooth 
for a tooth, but I say unto you resist not evil, but, who- 
soever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him 
the other also.’’ 

Matt. 5:21. ‘‘Ye have heard that it was said by them 
of old time thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill 
shall be in the danger of the judgment. But I say unto 
you whosoever is angry with his brother without cause 
shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall 
say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire.’’ 

Matt. 5:43. ‘‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, 
thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.’’ 

Matt. 5:44. ‘‘But I say unto you, love your enemies, 
bless them that curse you, do good to them who hate 
you and pray for them who despitefully use you.’’ 

Matt. 5:45. ‘‘That ye may be the children of your 
Father which is in heaven.’’ If we do otherwise we be- 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 9 


come the children of the devil. 

Matt. 5:46. ‘‘For if ye love them which love you, 
what reward have ye? Do not the publicans the 
same ?’’ 

Matt. 5:47. ‘‘And if ye salute your brother only 
what reward have ye? Do not the publicans the same?”’ 

Matt. 6:10. ‘‘Thy will be done on earth as it is done 
in Heaven.’’ They do not kill each other in Heaven. 
Matt. 6:12. ‘‘And forgive us our debts as we forgive 
our debtors.”’ 

Matt. 6:14. ‘‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, 
your Heavenly Father will forgive your trespasses.’’ 

Matt. 6:15. ‘‘But if ye forgive not men their tres- 
passes, neither will your Father forgive your tres- 
passes. ”’ 

Matt. 7:12. ‘‘Therefore, all things whatsoever ye 
would that men should do to you, do ye even so to 
them for this is the law and the prophets.’’ The gold- 
en rule. 

Matt. 7:15. ‘‘Beware of false prophets which come 
to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening 
wolves.’’ Men who preach war in Jesus’ name are the 
false prophets. 

Matt. 7:21. ‘‘Not every one who saith unto me, 
Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he 
that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.’’ 
His will is love and peace. 

Matt. 7:26. ‘‘And every one that heareth these say- 
ings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto 
a foolish man who built his house on the sand.’’ The 
sayings of Christ are written in chapters 5-6-7 of Matt. 

Matt. 10:16. ‘‘Behold I send you forth as sheep 
among wolves.’’ Lambs and sheep are emblematic of 
the spirit of the disciples of our Lord. 

Matt. 18:10. ‘‘Take heed that ye despise not one of 
these little ones.’’ : 

Matt. 18:15. ‘‘Moreover, if thy brother trespass 


10 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and 
him alone, and if he shall hear thee thou hast gained 
thy brother.’’ Do not kill him in war. 

Matt. 18:21. ‘‘And Peter came to Him and said 
how often shall my brother sin against me and I for- 
give him, till seven times?”’ 

Matt. 18:22. ‘‘Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto 
thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.”’ 
Compliance with these instructions will make wars for- 
ever impossible. 

Matt. 18:29. ‘‘And his fellow servant fell down at 
his feet and besought him saying, have patience with 
me and I will pay thee all.’’ 

Matt. 18:30. ‘‘And he would not but went and east 
him into prison till he should pay the debt.’’ This is 
the malign spirit of war. 

Matt. 18:32. ‘‘Then his lord said unto him, O thou 
wicked servant, I forgave thee all of that debt because 
thou desirest me.’’ 

Matt. 18:33. ‘‘Shouldst thou not have had compas- 
sion on thy fellow-servant, as I had pity on thee?”’ 

Matt. 18:34. ‘‘ And his lord was wroth and delivered 
him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was 
-due him.’’ 

Matt. 18:35. ‘‘So likewise shall My Heavenly 
Father do also unto you, if ye, from your hearts, for- 
give not every one his brother’s trespasses.”’ 

Matt. 19:16. ‘‘And behold one came and said unto 
him, Good Master what shall I do that I may have 
eternal life?’’ 

Matt. 19:17. ‘‘And He said if thou wilt enter into 
life keep the commandments.’’ 

Matt. 19:18. ‘‘He saith unto Him, Which? Jesus: 
said, Thou shalt do no murder.”’ 

Matt. 19:19. ‘‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self.’ 

Matt. 23:8. ‘‘One is your Master and all ye are 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 11 





“Ke 


brethren.”’ 

Matt. 25:33. ‘‘And He shall set the sheep (His dis- 
ciples) on His right hand and the goats (Satan’s dis 
ciples) on His left.’’ 

Matt. 24:16. ‘‘Then let them which be in Judah ifee 
to the mountains.’’ This was spoken to His disciples 
concerning Jerusalem when it should be surrounded 
by the Roman army in the year 70. War for defense. 

Matt. 25:40. ‘‘Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as 
ye did it not unto one of the least’ of these my breth- 
ren ye did it not unto me. And those shall go away 
into everlasting punishment.’’ 

Many of the followers of our Lord were punished 
ferociously during the world war, because they would 
not serve in the armies in killing their brethren. Even 
so our Lord holds our persecutors, the militaristic, 
guilty of inflicting the same punishment on Him. 

Mark 9:50. ‘‘Have salt in yourselves and have 
peace one with another.’’ 

Mark 10:19. ‘‘Do not. kill.’’ 

Mark 11:25. ‘‘And when ye stand praying, forgive, 
if ye have ought against any, that your Father, which 
is in Heaven, may forgive your trespasses.’’ 

Mark 12:17. ‘‘Render unto Caesar the things that 
are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. If 
the rulers of the world commanded you to break one 
of the commands of God you should disobey them. 

Mark 12:31. ‘‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self. There is none other command greater than 

this.’”’ 

- Mark 12:33. ‘‘To love God with all our hearts, and 
with all our understanding, and with all our soul, and 
our neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt 
offerings.’’ This is the love of God that we keep His 
commandments.”’ 

Mark 13:22. ‘‘For false Christs and false prophets 
shall rise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce, 


12 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





if possible the very elect.’’ These are they who preach 
that it will please God and Christ if we kill our ene- 
mies in war. 

Luke 1:79. ‘‘To give light to them that sit in dark- 
ness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet in 
the way of peace.’’ He is speaking of the mission of 
Christ. 

Luke 2:14. ‘‘@Glory to God in the highest, and, on 
earth peace and good will toward men.’’ The An- 
nuneciation. 

Luke 3:14. ‘‘And the soldiers demanded of him 
saying, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do 
violence to no man, and be content with your wages.’’ 
A very harmless soldier that. 

John 1:29. ‘‘Behold the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sin of the world.’’ The Lamb is the sacred 
emblem of peace. 

John 5:42. ‘‘But I know you, that ye have not the 
love of God in you.”’ 

John 8:44. ‘‘Ye are of your father the devil, and 
the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer 
from the beginning.’’ He is the father of all mur- 
derers. 

John 10:4. ‘‘And he putteth forth his own sheep, 
he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for 
they know his voice.’’ There are eleven verses in this 
chapter which emphasize the emblem of the sheep and 
the shepherd as a fitting declaration of the pacific 
spirit of our Lord and His disciples. The militarist 
is impersonated by the wolf. 

John 13:35. ‘‘By this shall all men know that ye 
are My disciples if ye have love one to another.’ If 
we do not have love one for the other, if we hate and 
kill our brethren in war we are not His disciples. 

John 13:14. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have 
washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s 
feet.’’ If we have this spirit we will not kill our 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 13 





brother. 

John 13:34. ‘‘A new commandment I give unto 
you that ye love one another, as I have loved you that 
ye also love one another.”’ 

John 13:35. ‘‘By this shall all men know ye are 
My disciples, if ye have love one to another.’’ Other- 
wise we are Satan’s disciples. 

John 14:28. ‘‘If a man love Me he will keep My 
words.’’ 

John 15:12. ‘‘This is my commandment that ye 
love one another as I have loved you.’’ He loved us so 
affectionately that He died on the cross for us, and He 
asked us to love each other in the same manner (if 
need be). If we have this spirit, think you, we could 
kill each other, as His professed followers did in the 
world war: millions of them? 

John 15:18. ‘‘Greater love hath no man than this, 
that a man lay down his life for his friends.’’ 

John 15:14. ‘‘Ye are my friends if ye do whatso- 
ever I command you.’ If we disobey His commands 
we are Satan’s friends. 

John 18:36. ‘‘My kingdom is not of this world, else 
My servants would fight that I should not be deliv- 
ered to the Jews.’’ If wars for self defense could be 
allowed by our Heavenly Father this would be the 
occasion. 

John 21:15, ‘‘Feed my lambs.”’ 

John 21:16. ‘‘Feed my sheep.’’ 

Acts 2:44. ‘‘And all that believed were together 
and had all things common.’’ If this spirit prevailed 
among the nations, it would destroy the commercial 
spirit which is the cause of most of the wars. When 
Satan is chained in the pit, during the millennium, the 
communistic spirit will prevail. 

Acts 10:36. ‘‘The Word which God sent unto the 
children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ.’’ 

Rom, 1:29. ‘‘Being filled with all unrighteousness, 


14 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


maliciousness, envy, murder, malignity, haters of God, 
despiteful, proud inventors of evil things, without 
natural affections, unmerciful.’’ In these traits St. 
Paul gives us a correct view of the psychology of the 
militarist. 

Rom, 3:14. ‘‘Whose mouth is full of cursing and 
bitterness. ”’ 

Rom. 3:15. ‘‘Their feet are swift to shed blood.’’ 

Rom. 3:16. ‘‘Destruction and misery are in thefr 
ways.’’ 

Rom. 3:17. ‘‘And the way of peace they have not 
known.’ | 

In these passages we have a portrait of the spiritual 
qualities of an unregenerated man and it fitly de- © 
scribes the advocates of carnal war. 

Rom. 8:9. ‘‘Now, if any man has not the spirit of 
Christ he is none of His.’’ Christ did not have the 
spirit of carnal war. 

Rom. 12:9. ‘‘Let love be without dissimulation.”’ 
‘‘Dissimulation’’ is the Cain type. 

Rom. 12:10. ‘‘Be kindly affectioned one to an- 
other, with brotherly love, in honor preferring one an- 
other.’’ 

Rom. 12:14. ‘‘Bless them that curse you. Do not 
kill them. 

Rom, 12:17. ‘‘Recompense to no man evil for evil.’’ 

Rom. 12:18. ‘‘If it be possible live peaceably with 
all men.’’ If you cannot live peaceably with them let 
them alone. Do not kill them. 

Rom. 12:19. ‘‘Dearly beloved avenge not your- 
selves, but give place unto wrath, for it is written, 
vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Rom. 12:20. ‘‘ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed 
him ; if he thirst, give him drink.”’ 

Rom. 12:21. ‘‘Be not overcome of evil but overcome 
evil with good.’’ 

Rom. 13:8. ‘‘Owe no man anything but to love one 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 15 





another, for love is the fulfilling of the law.’’ 

Rom. 13:9. ‘‘Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt love 
thy neighbor as thyself.’’ 

Rom. 13:10. ‘‘Love worketh no ill to his neighbor, 
therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.’’ 

Rom. 14:10. ‘‘But why dost thou judge thy brother 
or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?’’ They 
kill him in carnal war. 

Rom. 14:17. ‘‘For the kingdom of righteousness 
and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.’’ 

Rom. 14:19. ‘‘Let us therefore follow after the 
things which make for peace, and things wherewith 
we may edify one another.’’ 

Rom. 15:7. ‘‘ Wherefore, receive ye one another as 
Christ also received us to the glory of God.’’ 

Rom. 15:33. ‘‘Now the God of peace be with you 
all. Amen.’’ 

Rom. 16:16. ‘‘Salute one another with an _ holy 
kiss.’’ This is the way of our Lord. Satan’s way is to 
run a bayonet through him. 

Rom. 16:20. ‘‘And the God of peace shall bruise 
Satan under your feet shortly.’’ 

1 Cor. 1:10. ‘‘Now I beseech you brethren, that ye 
all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions 
among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together 
in the same mind.’’ This is death to the spirit of war. 

1 Cor. 7:15. ‘‘God hath called us to peace.’’ 

1 Cor. 11:33. ‘‘ Wherefore, my brethren when ye 
come together to eat, tarry one for another.’’ The 
spirit of brotherly love. 

1 Cor. 18. This is properly called ‘‘the love chap- 
ter’’ It shows that holy passion so vividly, so per- 
fectly, which, of itself, is absolute warrant that the 
spirit of carnal war cannot exist where it is dominant 
in men’s hearts. If there was not another reference 
to. spiritual love in the New Testament, the pacifist 
would not lose his cause in behalf of world peace. 


16 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


an me 


1 Cor. 13:1. ‘‘Though I speak with the tongues of 
men and angels and have not love I am become as 
sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”’ 

1 Cor. 13:2. ‘‘And though I have the gift of proph- 
ecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; 
and though I have all faith, so that I could remove 
mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.’’ ‘‘ Noth- 
ing’’ as to spiritual development. 

1 Cor. 18:1. ‘‘And though I bestow all my goods ta 
feed the poor, and though I give my body to be 
burned, and have not love it profiteth me nothing.”’ 

These spiritual achievements would seem, at a eas- 
ual glance, to be absolute assurance of our acceptance 
with God, but it lacks the element of love as the found- 
ation of all our hopes, and militarism would be abso- 
lute assurance that we lacked the fundamental element 
of love. The succeeding four verses specialize the 
characteristics of love. Let us measure ourselves by 
the standard they set forth. Let us see whether we 
can go on the battlefield with the satanic machine of 
wholesale murder and maim and kill our brothers by 
the millions, in accord with that standard. 

1 Cor. 11:4. ‘‘Love suffereth long and is kind, love 
envieth not, love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”’ 

1 Cor. 11:5. ‘‘Doth not hehave itself unseemly, 
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh 
no evil, 

1. Cor. 11:6. ‘‘ Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoic- 
eth in the truth.”’ 

1 Cor. 11:7. ‘‘Beareth all things, believeth all 
things, endureth all things.’’ 

The four succeeding verses refer to the changing 
conditions relative to our physical and spiritual 
growth. 

1. Cor. 11:13. ‘‘And now abideth faith, hope, love, 
these three, but the greatest of these is love.’’ Our be- 
lief in the absolute sovereignty of God, the virgin birth 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 17 


of Christ, the personality of the Holy Ghost, the sanc- 
tity of baptism, our transformation into the image of 
God, the efficacy of the holy sacrament of bread and 
wine will all be ineffective if we do not possess the 
greatest of them all, charity. 

1 Cor. 14:1. ‘‘Follow after love and desire spiritual 
gifts.’’ 

1. Cor. 16:11. ‘‘Conduct him forth in peace.’’ 

1 Cor. 16:14. ‘‘Let all your things be done with 
love.’’ : 

1 Cor. 16:24. ‘‘My love be with you all im Christ 
Jesus.’ 

1. Cor. 16:20. ‘‘ All the brethren greet you. Greet 
ye one another with the holy kiss’? Think you, it 
would not have been better for the world if the Euro- 
pean and American Christians (reputed) had! followed 
the Apostolic advice, than that of Satan, which re- 
sulted in the murder of millions of people? 

1. Cor. 14:33. ‘‘For God is not the author of con- 
fusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the 
saints.’’ 

2 Cor. 6:6. ‘‘In all things approving ourselves by 
long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love 
unfeigned.’’ The love of Cain was feigned. The love 
displayed on the battie field is feigned. 

2 Cor. 8:24. ‘Wherefore show ye to them, and be- 
fore the churches, the proof of your love.’’ 

2 Cor. 10:3. ‘‘For, though we walk in the flesh, we 
do not war after the flesh.’’ 

2 Cor. 10:4. ‘‘For the weapons of our warfare are 
not carnal but mighty, through God to the pulling 
down of strong holds, (verse 5) and bringing into cap- 
tivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’’ 

2 Cor. 13:11. ‘‘Finally brethren, be perfect, be of 
good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the 
God of love and peace shall be with you.”’ 

2 Cor. 13:12. ‘‘ Greet one another with an holy kiss.’’ 


18 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





The kiss which Judas gave Jesus, when he betrayed 
Him, was an unholy one, a traitorous kiss, of the mili- 
taristic type. 

Galatians 5:6. ‘‘For in Jesus Christ, neither cireum- 
cision nor uncircumcision availeth any- thing, but faith 
which worketh by love.’’ 

Galatians 5:18. ‘‘For, brethren, ye have been called 
unto liberty: only use not liberty for an oceasion to 
the flesh, but by love serve one another.’ 

Galatians 5:14. ‘‘For all the law is fulfilled in one 
word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy ae as 
thyself.’”’ 

Galatians 5:15. ‘‘But if ye bite and devour one an- 
other, take heed that ye be not consumed one of an- 
other.’’ 

Galatians 5:16. ‘‘Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall 
not fulfil the lust of the flesh.’’ 

Galatians 5:19. ‘‘Now the works of the flesh are 
manifest, which are these, hatred, variance, wrath, 
strife, seditions, envyings, murders, and such like.’’ 

Galatians 5:22. ‘‘But the fruit of the Spirit (of 
Christ) is joy, peace, longsuffering, patience, meek- 
ness, gentleness: against such there is no law.’’ The 
antipode of the Satanic spirit of war. 

Galatians 6:2. ‘‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and 
so fulfil the law of Christ.’’ 

Galatians 6:10. ‘‘As we have opportunity, let us Ao 
good unto all men, especially unto them who are of 
the household of faith.’’ 

Ephesians 1:4. ‘‘ According as he hath chosen us in 
him that we should be holy and without blame before 
him in love.’’ | ; 

Ephesians 1:15. ‘‘ Wherefore I also, after I heard 
of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and! love unto all the 
saints.’’ 

Ephesians 2:17. ‘‘And came and preached peace to 
you which were afar off.”?> | 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 19 





Ephesians 3:17. ‘‘That Christ may dwell in your 
hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded 
in love.’’ | 

Ephesians 4:2. ‘‘With all lowliness and meekness, 
with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.’’ 

Ephesians 4:3. ‘‘Endeavoring to keep the unity of 
the spirit in the bonds of peace.”’ 

Hphesians 4:15. ‘‘But speaking the truth in love, 
may grow up into Him in all things, (verse 16) mak- 
ing increase of the body unto edifying of itself in 
love.”’ 

Ephesians 4:26. ‘‘Be ye angry and sin not, let not 
the sun go down upon your wrath.’’ 

Ephesians 4:27. ‘‘Neither give place to the devil,’’ 
that is, do not let him tempt you to kill your enemy, 
if you have one. 

Ephesians 4:31. ‘‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and 
anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from 
you with all malice.’’ 

Ephesians 4:32. ‘‘And be ye kind one to another, 
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for 
Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.”’ | 

Ephesians 5:2. ‘‘And walk in love, as Christ hath 
also loved us.’’ 

Ephesians 6:5. ‘‘And your feet shod with the prep- 
aration of the gospel of peace.’’ 

Ephesians 6:23. ‘‘Peace be to the brethren and love, 
with faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus 
Christ.’’ 

Philippians 1:9. ‘‘I pray that your love may abound 
yet more and more.”’ 

Philippians 4:9. ‘‘Those things which ye have 
learned and heard and seen in me, do and the God of 
peace shall be with you.”’ 

Philippians 4:21. ‘‘Salute every saint in Christ 
Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.”’ 

Philippians 4:22. ‘‘ All the saints salute you.’’ There 


20 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


oe 





were no militarists in that group. 

Col. 1:4. ‘‘Sinee we heard of your faith in Christ 
Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.”’ 

Col. 1:8. ‘‘Who, also, declared unto us your love 
in the spirit.’’ 

Col. 2:2. ‘‘That their hearts might be knit together 
in love.’’ 

Col. 3:8. ‘‘But now ye also put off all anger, wrath, 
malice.’’ Rid yourselves of these satanic traits and you 
will not want to kill anybody. 

Col. 3:13. ‘‘Forbearing one another and forgiving 
one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, 
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”’ 

Col. 3:14. ‘‘ And above all things put on love, which 
is the bond of perfectness.’’ | 

1 Thes. 1:3. ‘‘Remembering, without ceasing your 
work of faith and labor of love.’’ 

1 Thes. 3:12. ‘‘And the Lord make you to increase 
and abound in love, one toward another and toward ali 
men.’’ 

1 Thes. 4:9. ‘‘But as touching brotherly love ye 
need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are 
taught of God to love one another.’’ Satan teaches us 
to hate and kill each other, contradicting God, as his 
nature leads him. 

1 Thes. 5:8. ‘‘But let us, who are of the day, be 
sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love.’’ 

1 Thes. 5:15. ‘‘See that none render evil for evil un- 
to any man.’’ 

1 Thes. 5:22. ‘‘Abstain from all appearance of 
evil.’’ 

1 Thes. 5:26. ‘‘Greet all the brethren with an holy 
kiss.’? Do not kill them. 

2 Thes. 1:3. ‘‘We are bound to thank God always 
for you, brethren, because your faith groweth exceed- 
ingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each 
other aboundeth.”’ 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 21 





2 Thes. 3:15. ‘‘Yet count him not as an enemy, 
but admonish him as a brother.”’ 

1 Timothy 1:5. ‘‘Now the end of the commandment 
is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience. ”’ 

1 Timothy 2:2. ‘‘Pray for kings, and for all in 
authority, that we may lead a peaceable and quiet 
life.’’ | 

1 Timothy 6:11. ‘‘But thou, O man of God, flee these 
things and follow after righteousness, faith, love, 
meekness. ”’ : 

2 Timothy 1:7. ‘‘For God hath not given us the 
spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound 
mind.’’ 

2 Timothy 1:13. ‘‘Hold fast the form of sound 
words which you have heard of me in faith and love, 
which is in Christ Jesus.’’ : 

2 Timothy 2:22. ‘‘Flee youthful lusts, but follow 
righteousness, faith, love, peace.’’ 

Titus 3:3. ‘‘For we ourselves were sometime fool- 
ish, serving divers lusts living in malice and envy, 
hateful and hating one another.”’ 

Titus 3:15. ‘‘All that are with me salute thee.’’ 
‘“Greet them that love us in the faith.”’ 

Philemon 1:5. ‘‘Hearing of thy love and faith, 
which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all 
the saints.’’ 

Philemon 1:7. ‘‘For we have great joy and consola- 
tion in thy love.’’ 

Hebrews 6:10. ‘‘For God is not unrighteous to for- 
get your work and labor of love, in that ye have min- 
istered to the saints.’’ 

Hebrews 10:24. ‘‘And let us consider one another 
to provoke unto love and good works.’’ 

Hebrews 12.:14. ‘‘Follow peace with all men and 
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’’ If 
we do not follow peace, whom will we see? Let the 
patrons of carnal war answer that question. 


22 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Hebrews 13:20. ‘‘Now the God of peace that 
brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, 
that great Shepherd of the sheep, (verse 21) make you 
perfect in every good work to do His will.’’ 

James 1:27. ‘‘Pure and undefiled religion before 
God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and 
widows in their affliction and to keep himself un- 
spotted from the world.’’ Wars make widows and 
fatherless children. 

James 2:8. ‘‘If you fulfil the royal law according 
to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self, ye do well.’’ 

James 2:11. ‘‘If thou kill, thou art become a trans- 
gressor of the law.’’ 

. James 2:13. ‘‘For ye shall have judgment without 
mercy that have shown no mercy.’’ 

James 3:17. ‘‘But the wisdom that is from above is 
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, 
full of mercy.’’ 

James 3:18. ‘‘And the fruit of righteousness is 
sown in peace, of them that make peace.’’ Blessed is 
the peacemaker. 

James 4:1. ‘‘From whence come wars and fightings 
among you? Come they not from your lusts that war 
in your members?’’ 

James 4.2. ‘‘Ye lust and have not, ye kill and de- 
sire to have and cannot obtain, ye fight and war, yet 
ye have not.”’ | 

James 4:3. ‘‘Ye ask and receive not because ye ask 
amiss, that ye may consume it on your lusts.’’ 

James 4:11. ‘‘Speak not evil one of another breth- 
ren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth 
his brother, speaketh evil of the law.’’ 

James 5:16. ‘‘Confess your faults, one to another, 
and pray for one another.’’ 

1 Peter 1:22. ‘‘Seeing ye have purified your souls 
in obeying the truth, through the spirit, unto un- 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 23 


feigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one an- 
other with a pure heart, fervently.’’ 

1 Peter 2:1. ‘‘ Wherefore laying aside all malice, 
and all guile, and envying and evil speakings.’’ 

1 Peter 2:17. ‘‘Honor all men. Love the brother- 
hood.’’ 

1 Peter 2:25. ‘‘For we were as sheep going astray, 
but now we are returned unto the shepherd and Bishop 
of our souls.’’ 

1 Peter 3:8. ‘‘Finally, be all of one mind, having 
compassion one of another, love as brethren, be piti- 
ful, be courteous.”’ 

1 Peter 3:9. ‘‘Not rendering evil for evil, or rail- 
ing for railing.’’ 

1 Peter 3.11. ‘‘Let him eschew evil, and do good, 
seek peace and ensue it.’’ : 3 

1 Peter 4:8. ‘‘ Above all things have fervent love 
among yourselves, for love covereth a multitude of 
sins.’’ : 

1 Peter 5:14. ‘‘Greet ye one another with a kiss of 

love.’’ Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. 
Amen.’’ 
_ 2 Peter 1:7. ‘‘And to godliness, brotherly kindness, 
and to brotherly kindness, love.’’ If these things do 
not ‘‘abound’’in us, according to St Peter’s declara- 
tion, the work of Satan will. | 

2 Peter 3:14. ‘‘ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye 
look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found 
of Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”’ 

1 oJhn 2:9. ‘‘He that saith he is in the light and 
hateth his brother is in darkness even until now.’’ 

_1 John 2:11. ‘‘But he that hateth his brother is in 
darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth, because 
darkness hath blinded his eyes.’’ 

1 John 3:10. ‘‘In this the children of God are mani- 
fest and the children of the devil, whosoever doeth not 
righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not — 


24 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





his brother.’’ 

1 John 3:11. ‘‘For this is the message that ye heard 
from the beginning, that we should love one another.’’ 

1 John 3:12. ‘‘Not as Cain who was of that wicked 
one (Satan) and slew his brother.’’ | 

1 John 3:14. ‘“We know we have passed from death 
unto life because we love the brethren. He that lov- 
eth not his brother abideth in death.’’ 

1 John 3:15. ‘‘Whoso hateth his brother is a mur- 
derer, and we know that no murderer hath eternal 
life.’’ 

1 John 3:16. ‘‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, 
because He laid down His life for us, and we ought to 
lay down our lives for our brethren.’’ Contrariwise in — 
in war, we kill our brethren. 

1 John 3:17. ‘‘But whoso hath this worlds J oak 
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up hts 
bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love 
of God in him?”’ 

1 John 3:18. ‘‘My little children let us not love in 
word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.’’ 

1 John 3:23. ‘‘And this is His commandment that 
we should believe on the name of the Son of God, and 
love one another as He gave us commandment.’’ 

1 John 4:7. ‘‘Beloved let us love one another, for 
love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of 
God.’’ 

1 John 4:8. ‘‘He that loveth not knoweth not God, 
for God is love.’’ 

1 John 4:11. ‘‘Beloved if God so loved us we ought 
also to love one another.’’ 

1 John 4:12. ‘‘If we love one another, God dwelleth 
in us.’’ 

1 John 4:16. ‘‘God is love and he that dwelleth in 
love dwelleth in God and God in him.’’ 

1 John 4:18. ‘‘There is no fear in love, but perfect 
love ecasteth out fear, because fear hath torment.’’ 


\ 


SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONIES 29 





1 John 4:20. ‘‘If a man say I love God and hateth 
his brother he is a liar, for if he loveth not his brother 
whom he hath seen, how ean he love God whom he 
hath not seen?’’ 

1 John 4:21, ‘‘And this commandment have we 
from Him that he who loveth God, loveth his brother 
also.’’ 

1 John 5:1. ‘‘ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the 
Christ is born of God and every one that loveth Him 
that. begat, loveth him also that is begotten of Him.”’ 

1 John 5:2. ‘‘By this we know that we love the 
children of God, when we love God and keep his com- 
mandments.’’ 

2 John 1:5. ‘‘Now I beseech thee, not as though I 
wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that we had 
from the beginning, that we love one another.’’ 

2 John 1:6. ‘‘And this is love, that we walk after 
His commandments.’’ 

Jude 1:2. ‘‘Merey unto you and peace and love be 
multiplied.’’ 

Jude 1:11. ‘‘Woe unto them for they have gone in 
the way of Cain.’’ The same old murderer. 

Jude 1:12. ‘‘These are spots in your feasts of love, 
when they feast with you.’’ 

Revelation 13:10. ‘‘He that leadeth into captivity 
shall go into captivity, he that killeth with the s sword. 
shall be killed by the sword.”’ 

Rev. 20:7. ‘‘And when the thousand years were 
passed (The millennium) Satan shall be loosed out of 
his prison.’’ 

Rev. 20:8. ‘‘And shall go out to deceive the nations, 
(as he is doing now) to gather them to battle, the num- 
ber of whom is as the sand of the sea.’’ 

Rey. 20:9. ‘‘And' they went up on the breadth of 
the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about 
and the beloved city, and fire came down from God 
out of Heaven and devoured them.’’ 


26 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Rey. 20:10. ‘‘And the devil that deceived them was 
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the 
beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented 
day and night forever.’’ If any one doubts Satan’s 
inspiration of war let him read the 9 verses quoted 
herein. When he is in prison during the thousand 
years there will be no war. Even the lust of blood, 
which carniverous animals possess now, will be taken 
from them. Even the eating of flesh was not known 
among men till after Satan began his dominion. 


We could add passages from the New Testament, 
hundreds of them, which, by unassailable implication, 
testify against carnal war. When you find the terms 
‘‘brethren,’’ ‘‘brothers,’’ the ‘‘elect,’’ ‘‘sheep,’’ 
lambs and kindred words, the logical construction 
aligns them with the conditions of love and peace. 
When our Lord told St. Peter, in 21 St. John 13, 14, 
‘‘feed my lambs’’ and ‘‘feed my sheep’’ he employed 
an emblem that described the pacific spirit of His dis- 
ciples. Had they the love of the martial type he would 
have used the term ‘‘wolves’’ and ‘‘kids.’’ They are 
antipodes to sheep and lambs. The latter are histor- 
ically peaceful, while the former are habitually bellig- 
erent. 


It is utterly useless to parade and flaunt the menace 
of war in the face of these hundreds of specific testi- 
monies against it. They are innumerable, and, to at- 
tempt to refute them, or diminish their weight, signi- 
fies absolute dominance of the arch enemy of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, His divine Father and of mankind. the 
prince of evil, the author of all the miseries that have 
afflicted this world since the beginning of the tragedy 
in the Garden of Eden. 


THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, THE CONSTITU- 
TION OF THE WORLD 


Since the world began there has no production come 

before it like unto that sermon. Philosophers, states- 
men, scientists, poets, hierarchs, have given the cause 
of humanity, the best of their brain and hearts. Poli- 
cies, theories, creeds, standards in morals and religion, 
have been promulgated through the ages, but they 
have only been erratic creatures of a day or genera- 
tion, and then passed into compulsory oblivion. 
' But the wonderful ‘‘Sermon’’ came from a heart ana 
mind infinitely divine, and has amply met every condi- 
tion which was essential to human welfare, of every 
age and race, as potential today as it was when it 
came from immortal lips, as full of practical admoni- 
tion and instruction, as piquant with warning, and as 
definite in conclusions, as a sick and sinful world’ 
needed. 

It went to the innermost depths of human emergen- 
cies, into the privacy of the household, the marts of 
trade, the judgment hall, the political forum, the se- 
clusion of the penitent, the glare of the religious arena, 
everywhere that men and women were found, in all the 
multitudinous activities of mortal life, and it gave a 
remedy for every human ill, and a landmark for every 
waytarer, and a luminous beacon for every shadow, 
and a solvent for every doubt, a bridge for every 
chasm, a shield for every venomous dart, a panacea 
for every human. ill, whether of the body or soul, of 
time or eternity, as immaculate as its immaculate 
‘Author, a supreme challenge to the critic whether of 
this or the spirit world. We have only occasion to note 
its bearing and relation to the subject of carnal war 
in view of the purpose to give to the readers of this 
book a logical exposition of the teaching of our Lord 
on that subject. 


(27) 


28 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Those first nine verses, distinguished by the cogno- 
men of ‘‘beatitudes,’’ each of them giving the terms 
on. which special blessings would come, are each a di- 
rect testimony in behalf of peace and love. 

The first: ‘‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs 
is the kingdom of God,’’ presents a positive antipode 
to the military spirit. The latter is the acme of per- 
verted human pride and exaltation, and can never at- 
tain to the kingdom of God, because it is the bulwark 
of the kingdom of Satan. If war is not hell there is 
no hell, and if it is not inspired by the devil there is no 
devil.’’ 

‘“Poverty of spirit’’ is properly interpreted to em- 
phasize the grace of humility, one of the most dis- 
tinguished and preeminent of the virtues which our 
Lord so gloriously exemplified in every feature of His 
psychology, self abasement which assures us of ulti- 
mate exaltation. ‘‘He that abaseth himself shall be 
exalted.’? Those who do not conform to that ideal 
can never enter the kingdom of God. 

‘‘Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be com- 
forted,’’ the next in order, is especially addressed to 
those who sorrow because of sinful propensities, of 
spiritual infirmities, of the buffeting of Satan, those 
who are persecuted for righteousness sake, those who 
are the innocent victims of carnal war, of whom there 
ae millions throughout the earth. War is Satan’s in- 
strument to afflict mankind with every element that 
brings destruction and fills the earth with mourning 
and sorrow and dries up the sourees of joy and glad- 
ness. It is the mission of war to bring mournmg and, 
countervailing it, is the mission of our Lord to ‘‘com- 
fort those who mourn.’’ ‘‘Blessed are the meek for 
they shall inherit the earth.’’ Meekness has every fea- 
ture that war has not, diverse traits in the minutest 
degree, an alien in the arts of wickedness, bound by 
every rule in the category of military law, despised 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD 29 


and condemned as the characteristic of the poltroon, 
scorned as a trait fit only for the scum and dross of 
the vulgar rabble. 

A person who possesses that exalted virtue is mostly 
concerned for the welfare of others and reaches the 
peak of earthly glory by obedience to the law of sacri- 
fice, the divine law of service, of self abnegation, in 
every thing, the antithesis of the military spirit. The 
inheritance of the earth to which reference is made, is 
the culmination of that pleasing statement in Psalm 
37:9, ‘‘Those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the 
earth.’’ The advocate of war has absolutely no rela- 
tion with, or interest in ‘‘the Lamb of God which tak- 
eth away the sin of the world’’ and who has given us 
the purest example of meekness. ‘‘Blessed are they 
‘who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they 
shall be filled.’’ Im the vocabulary of the militarist 
there is no such word as ‘‘righteousess.’’ They disown 
any vital relation with that grace. It is supremely an 
attribute of our Lord, whose Father was the ‘‘God' of 
love.’’ War has every essential moral element that dif- 
ferentiates it from righteousness. 

This virtue is derived from a fundamental principle 
of the moral law which is attuned to the divine law, 
whose basic principle is ‘‘right.’? War determines the 
question of might, an implacable foe of right. It dis- 
dains argument, or logic, or reason, or justice; simply 
‘‘might’’ and nothing more. Do I mean that there are 
no just wars? We do not argue that question. Our 
God has settled that. There are no questions or con- 
_ tentions or controversies which could not be adjustec 
by the rule of righteousness if the strong nations of 
the world would unite to debar carnal war, and thus, 
when the argument is sought to show its incompatibil- 
ity with Christianity, there can be no exceptional 
causes without dishonor to our Lord, and discredit to 
the Holy Ghost, which inspired the testimony of the 


30 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


divinely ordained Apostle. 

‘‘Blessed are the merciful for they stall obtain mer- 
cy.’’ There is not a trait of the human nature that is 
less in evidence in military administration than that of 
merey. It is scorned as an example of physical and 
moral flabbiness. Every page of history, which records 
martial achievements, shows indisputedly the absolute 
bar to the display of the divine attribute of mercy. 
Vengeance is the demoniacal impulse that prevails in 
wars. It would be impossible to promote war on the 
basis of mercy. As soon as that grace touched the 
hearts of the warriors the battle would cease. 

In the coming prophetic day, when we go before 
the judgment seat for the final assignment of our eter- 
nal home, our work, as an advocate of carnal war, will 
close the door of merey, for that boon is only for those 
who have been merciful in their relation to their fellow 
creatures. ‘‘Blessed are the merciful for they alone 
shall obtain mercy.’’ 

‘‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see 
God.’’ There are multidudinous factors in war that 
effectually close and harden our hearts to the exercise 
and development of purity. Hate, vengeance, wilful 
murder, robbery, waste of everything that is essentiat 
te our comfort, physical or spiritual, are all absolutely 
destructive of purity of thought, word or action, and 
these features are synonyms for the characteristics of 
carnal war. 

Every antipode of purity of heart are the dominent 
traits of the professional militarist, and ‘‘seeing God’’ 
as a loving Father will never be revealed to them? 

‘‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be 
called the children of God.’’ 

This superlative declaration as to the paternal rela- 
tionship of the war-maker, by implication, is the last 
word in the argument on that theme. There is no pos- 
sible bridging of the chasm between the paternal an- 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD 31 


eestors of the peace-makers and war-makers. They are 
definitely aligned, and their eternal welfare is assured. 

It has been maintained that wars have been neces- 
sary as the divine agency to settle international con- 
troversies. Once upon a time, as the legends phrase 
it, a certain country in Europe was the scene of a dev- 
astating war and the outcome was the complete de- 
struction of all life within that area. The conqueror 
reported to his ruler that ‘‘he had established univer- 
sal peace in that country’’ but it was the peace of 
death. That has been the method which has _ been 
adopted by military leaders through all the years and 
will be ’till Satan is chained in the bottomless pit. If 
there were no other reference to the relation of war 
with the doctrines of our Lord, this would suffice to 
determine their spiritual relationship, to the eternaf 
doom of the war-maker. 

‘‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for Ghe 
eousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”’ 

It will greatly facilitate the solution of this contro- 
versy to know that the only source from whence the 
persecuting spirit has germinated during this genera- 
tion is the military caste, and the only subjects thus 
afflicted are the people who are opposed to carnal war. 
Such a state of affairs is conclusive evidence that war 
is not of the Christian’s God. During this late war 
the conscientious objectors were persecuted by, or 
with the connivances of the rulers of the belligerent 
nations, too horrible to describe. They were impris- 
oned, and tortured, crucified, starved, confined in bar- 
racks filled with men dying from infectious diseases, 
deprived of their possessions, scourged, buffeted, 
scorned, cursed, and evil entreated in ways beyond 
measure and without number. In a large measure, 
they were most bitterly reviled by leaders of Protes- 
tant religious organizations, ordained teachers of the 
doctrines of our Lord, and every sanction was extend- 


32 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





ed to their tormentors, from pulpit and press, without 
abatement or compunction of conscience. No condi- 
tion could more effectually clarify the situation than 
the fact that the spirit of war is identical with the 
spirit of persecution, and as ‘‘theirs is the kingdom of 
Heaven’’ it is not difficult to determine to what king- 
dom their persecutors belong. 

Passing on to other features of the wonderful ser- 
mon, we quote 5, Matthew 21, 22, 23, as follows: ‘‘It 
hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not kill 
but I say whomsoever is angry with his brother with- 
out a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, and 
whosoever shall say to his brother Raca (a term ex- 
pressing contempt) shall be in danger of the council, 
and whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be in danger 
of hell fire.’’? This so effectually excludes the killing of 
our brothers in war, as it is done continuously and | 
savagely in reputed’ Christian countries, that no com- 
ment is needed. A wayfaring man, though a fool in 
other things, could not err in determining the trend 
of the message of the great teacher. 

In verses 38 and 39, we have another phase of the 
doctrine of non-resistance. “‘Ye have heard that it 
hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a 
tooth, but I say unto you resist not evil, but whosoever 
shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the 
other also.’” The phrase ‘‘resist not evil’’ is inter- 
preted to forbid retaliation. The essence of war is re- 
taliation. Reprisals for offences of every kind are an 
immutable law of militarism, even unto death. 

‘“‘Turning the other cheek’’ is so far contemned by 
military usages that no comparison could be main- 
tained, yet it effectually and definitely describes the 
spirit of our Master and the spirit of His disciples, 
and is so utterly at variance with the bellicose spirit 
of war that no further notice is needed. The watch- 
word of the professional soldier is still ‘‘an eye for an 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD 33 


eye and a tooth for a tooth,’’ which tells our Lord ‘‘to 
keep His mouth shut.’’ 

Verses 438, 44, 45 stress the pacifist sentiment be- 
yond the reach of the cavilor. ‘‘Ye have heard that it 
hath been said that thou shalt love thy neighbor and 
hate thine enemy but I say unto you love your enemies, 
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate 
you and pray for them which despitefully use you and 
persecute you, that ye may be the children of your 
Father which is in Heaven.’’ If we do not meet the 
terms which assures our relationship to God, we must 
take our place among Satan’s children. There is no 
way of escape. Love and hate are as diverse as God 
and Satan. The former is supremely the attribute of 
God, the latter as supremely the attribute of Satan. 
Wars cannot be fought by the power of love. Hate 
must be invoked before the impulse to kill has taken 
possession. Love must die before a person can kill an 
enemy. 

Before America entered into the great war, the press 
and pulpit launched’ a crusade of hate that swept the 
people into the bloody maelstrom, as it were, over 
night. Germs of hate were sown in camp, on the 
march, in the fateful charge, on the street, in the polit- 
ical arena, in the pulpits, wherever the lust of war 
surged through men’s and women’s hearts. 

Our Lord says we must ‘‘love our enemies.’’ But the 
reputed Christian countries have passed the sacred 
bounds of the divine injunction. They not only do not 
love their enemies but they have ceased to love thetr 
- brethren. That sacred passion is practically dead 
throughout the earth. All the wars that have deluged 
the world in blood and tears and destruction, for the 
past thousand years, especially those which have been 
fought recently, notably the pseudo-civil war in Amer- 
ica, and the late European war, were fought by and 
between communicants of the same religious (protest- 


34 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





ant) organizations, brother killing brother, and deso- 
lating homes and breaking hearts by the million, and 
glorifying their murderous achievements by rapturous 
song and eloquent oration. 

It is true there was a species of love that ran, exotic, 
through the breasts of the belligerents, to which refer- 
ence is made in 1 John 3:11, 12. ‘‘For this is the mes- 
sage that ye have heard from the beginning (in tne 
Sermon on the Mount) that we should love one an- 
other. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one 
(which is the devil) and slew his brother.’’ (A church 
official said to me, during the Civil war, that he could 
love a person and kill him too. That kind of love is 
of the Cain variety.) Satan has a substitute for every 
divine virtue and they have been adopted and justified — 
by the multitudinous masses of his clerical dupes. He 
is the arch deceiver and his triumphs today exceeds 
anything since the Noahic deluge. 

There is an additional horror attached to the erime 
of fratricide, and a corresponding penalty. ‘‘ Whoso 
hateth his brother is a murderer and no murderer hath 
eternal life.’”’? 1 John 3:15. In the view of our Lord 
there is no sin more defiant of the divine injunction, 
and yet it is condoned and justified by His assumed 
followers, and the bitterest persecution is inflicted on 
those who are loyal to fundamental commands. 

We wish to note the perfect correspondence of the 
promises in behalf of those who oppose carnal war. 
In verse 9, of 5 St. Matthew, the peace-makers are 
ealled ‘‘the children of God.’’ In the 45th verse those 
who. love their enemies are called ‘‘the children of 
your Father which is in Heaven.’’ There is absolutely 
no difficulty in determining the paternal alignment of 
the opposing elements in this controversy. 

Passing on to verse 12, chapter 7 we have the ‘‘ gold- 
en rule,’’ to wit. ‘‘Whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them.’’ 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD ~— 35 


Should the doctrine and spirit of this rule possess 
men’s hearts, every problem would automatically ad- 
just itself. It comprehends every phase and adjunct 
of justice, personal honor, righteousness, and every in- 
centive to carnal war would be eliminated; in a word, 
it would bring into direct action every thing that 
would make conditions m this world as they are in 
Heaven. The 15 short words contains the seeds which 
would bear the luscious fruits of love, joy, peace, pros- 
perity, good-will, humility, gentleness; in fact it is 
pregnant with every feature in the psychology of our 
Lord and Master. 

Yet the nations and religious organizations and 
benevolent associations are all aligned with the forces 
of evil to bring to nought the benignant Doctrine em- 
bodied in this immaculate golden rule. 

We have in the 21st verse of Chapter 7, the reaffirm- 
ation of the terms of our entrance into the Kingdom 
of Heaven. ‘‘Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, 
shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that 
doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven.’’ 
That ‘‘ Will’’ is stressed’, in all its details, from the be- 
ginning to the end of the New Testament. In hundreds 
of passages, each and every one of which are explicit 
eonditions of entrance into heaven and the terms are 
so absolutely unequivocal that an offender will be with- 
out exeuse. Let us note a few. ‘‘He that doeth the 
will of God abideth forever.’’? 1 John 2:17. ‘‘Whoso- 
ever shall do the will of God the same is my brother, 
_ my sister and mother.’’ Mark 3:35. These are enough. 
‘“By the mouth of two or three witnesses my word 
shall be established.’’ There is but one conclusion that 
is scriptural and logical, from all of these testimonies 
and that is, the closing of the door of Heaven against 
the advocates of carnal war. The closing of the ser- 
mon under exposition substantiates this declaration 
beyond the possibility of honest criticism. 


3G CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


‘‘He that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth 
them, IL will liken unto a wise man which built his 
house on a rock, and the rain descended and the floods 
came and the winds blew and beat on that house and 
it fell not for it was founded on a rock.’’ 

‘And every one who heareth these sayings of mine 
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man 
who built his house on the sand and the rain descended 
and the floods eame and the winds blew and beat upon 
that house and it fell and great was the fall of it.’ - 

Reading the passages in this discourse, stressing — 
love of enemies, the glory of the peacemaker, forgive- 
ness of trespasses, loving our brethren, doing the will 
of the Father as it is done in Heaven, the blessedness 
of merey, the ‘‘turning of the other cheek,’’ the pro- 
mulgation of the golden rule as the basis of all human 
conduct, and the sanctity of ‘‘the will of our Father 
who is in Heaven,’’ and then reading the story of the 
absolute disregard and contemptuous indifference to, 
and flagrant disobedience of, the peoples of the Chris- 
tian world, we have the most amazing demonstration 
of the power of satanic deception since human history 
began. 

With the Chureh of the Brethren, these sayings of 
our Lord have the same weight and meaning, as they 
relate to our final destiny, as the doctrines of the abso- 
lute sovereignty of God, the virgin birth and the divin- 
ity of Christ, the immaculate personality of the Holy 
Ghost, the inspiration of the Holy Seriptures, the fun- 
damental characteristics of the commandments relat- 
ing to church organization. The solemn warning is 
given, ‘‘that if we keep all the sayings of our Lord, 
saving one, we are guilty of all.’’ 

The terms of salvation are definite and a wayfaring 
man (that is an honest man) cannot err therein and 
the punishment for disobedience is fixed’ which is ban- 
ishment from Heaven and an eternity in hell. Choose 


THE LORD’S PRAYER AND WAR 37 





ye this day whom ye will serve. Let others do as they 
will but as for us, the Chureh of the Brethren, ana 
all peacemakers, ‘‘we will serve the Lord.’’ 

We pray that our readers may make special and de- 
cisive note of the ultimate outcome that awaits them 
in the final decision. If we hear the sayings of our 
Lord in this sermon and do them we will be placed on 
His right hand and shall be the blessed of the Father. 
If we hear these sayings and do them not we will be 
placed on His left hand and will hear the awful sen- 
tence, depart into everlasting fire. 

It is doubtless noted by our readers that we have 
not recognized the super-wonderful ‘‘Lord’s Prayer’’ 
in our comments. It is a prominent feature in the super- 
wonderful sermon and deserves the most determin- 
ate consideration in its vital relation to the question of 
war vs. love and peace. In recognition of this fact 
we have given it special notice in a separate chapter, 
and its pertinence to the subject will be properly ac- 
elaimed by Spirit filled people. | 


gee 
tne en 
= 


THE LORD’S PRAYER IN ITS RELATION TO 
CARNAL WAR ; 


It was in perfeet accord with the eternal fitness of 
things that the disciples of our Lord would ask Him 
to teach them to pray as ‘‘John the Baptist taught his 
disciples.’’ They were passing out from the Mosaic 
dispensations into one, the dominant features of which 
they but dimly comprehended. Prior to that period 
they addressed their prayers to the God of Abraham, 
Tsaae and Jacob, but now the beloved Son of God him- 
self had come and had assumed the leadership in the 
forms of worship and they wanted definite instructions 
on the vital feature of prayer. In the gospel records, 
Matt. 6:9 and Imke 11:2, we have the most concise 


38 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





form in which it would be possible to address, ‘‘Our 
Father in Heaven’’ in prayer. It will meet every 
emergency and amply covers every point which bears 
on our relation to Him and His relation to us. 


It does more than that. It has an especial bearing 
on our relation to our fellow mortals, and, also on our 
relation to beings in the spirit world. In a practical 
sense it opens the ‘‘everlasting doors’’ of Heaven ana 
brings us face to face with those whose dwelling place 
it has been through all the past ages. It has also a 
definite bearing on our conduct as it concerns those 
spiritual associates of ours and also on those with 
whom we are associated in this world. 

In a striking, imperative sense it has a special rela- . 
tion to the common and universal obsession of the hu- 
man psychology in favor of carnal war, by implication, 
I will say. 

In the following exposition of that prayer we want 
tc emphasize that feature as it finds expression in our 
habitual repetition, ‘‘Our Father who art in Heaven.”’ 
There are multitudinous families in the fleshly realm 
but there are only two in the spiritual, the family of 
God and the family of Satan. These relationships are 
plainly differentiated throughout the Bible. In in- 
stances without number God is referred to as the Fath- 
er of those who believed in and obeyed’ the Lord Jesus, 
and those who did not believe and obey, as the chil- 
dren of the devil. 

This relationship is established by our works. 1 
John 3:10, emphasizes the sentiment that ‘‘whosoever 
leveth not his brother is of the devil, and in John 5: 
17, we have the testimony that the work of our Lord 
was the work of the Father. ‘‘The Father worketh 
hitherto and I work.”’ 


The Father and Son were always in perfect accord, 
the Father, the God of Love and the Son a sponsor of 


THE LORD’S PRAYER AND WAR 39 


the Father. Love is the symbol of God and of His 
Son. 

Hate is a symbol of Satan, and each a complete an- 
tipode of the other. The logical conclusion, from these 
unassailable premises is that advocates of war are not 
the children of God and therefore are, mocking Him 
when they pray ‘‘Our Father which art in Heaven.’’ 

The second phrase ‘‘Hallowed be thy name,’’ ex- 
presses our purpose to give it the reverence which is 
its preeminent possession. 

But when we sponsor carnal war, which is the or- 
dained function of Satan, we dishonor God’s name and 
hallow the name of Satan, and nothing could savor of 
insincerity and hypocrisy more flagrantly. Try to get 
a faint glimpse of a battle field scene where thousands 
of strong young men are dead and dying, ghostly pale, 
and shrieking in the awful agony of mangled bodies 
and lingering death if you want to comprehend the 
horrible mimicry of an abettor of war, demurely puls- 
ing that loving sentiment, ‘‘Hallowed be thy name.”’ 

In the next sentence we pray ‘‘Thy kingdom come.”’ 
When we utter that surpassing wonderful prayer, it is 
a rational supposition that we will work in accord with 
our prayer. To do otherwise would be the most un- 
pardonable hypocrisy. To pray for one thing and then 
to work for another is unbelievable, but for the proph- 
etic declaration that, ‘‘because they received not the 
love of the truth that they might be saved, God shall 
send them strong delusion that they should believe a 
lie, that they all might be damned who believed not 
the truth.’’ 2 Thes. 2:11, 12. 

There could not be a more elarifying declaration 
that war is an inseparable characteristic of Satan’s 
kingdom, than the prophetic statement in Isaiah 11, 
which gives us a view of conditions when the doctrines 
and policies of our Lord shall prevail throughout the 
earth. Note these traits, ‘‘The wolf shall dwell with 


4) CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid 
and the calfand the young lion together, and the lit- 
tle child shall lead them, and the lion shall eat straw 
like the ox, and the sucking child shall play on the 
hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his 
hand in the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor 
destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be 
full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover 
the sea.’’ 

We have in this category a succinct survey of con- 
ditions which form the basis of the kingdom of our . 
Lord, love and peace, even in carnivorous animals and 
serpents, how much more in men, made in the image 
of our Lord. Corroborative of the foregoing we will 
note another demonstration of the features of the two 
kingdoms, in Rev. 20. In this portrait we have Satan > 
bound and east into the bottomless pit where he was 
held for a thousand years, at the end of which period 
he was loosed and went out to deceive the nations, as 
he does now, and he gathered them together to battle, 
when fire came down from Heaven and devoured them. 

These references and’ comments are produced to 
show that war is a prevailing, universal feature of 
Satan’s kingdom and it impresses, with econdemnatory 
force, the supreme folly of prayer for the kingdom of 
God to come when our hearts are filled with the sul- 
phurous fumes of carnal war, and our hands are drip- 
ping with the blood of our brothers slain on the fields 
of battle. Sueceeding our prayer for the coming of 
God’s kingdom, we pray that ‘‘His will be done on 
earth as it is done in Heaven.’’ We have little direct 
knowledge of how His will is done in Heaven. Some 
millenniums ago there was war in Heaven when 
‘“Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, 
and his angels, and he was east out into the earth. This 
was not a war of physical form like our carnal wars. 
There is no mention of the killing of any one. It was 


THE LORD’S PRAYER AND WAR 41 


one of limitless, unconquerable moral and _= spiritual 
power when right prevails against might, simply be- 
eause it is right. It is one of the immutable laws of 
God. 

What are supposedly the prevailing conditions in 
Heaven which inspire our prayer, that the same _ be 
done on the earth? In the first place perfect love dom- 
inates every element, every sentiment, every act, every 
word, every thought. It is the supreme test of the con- 
trolling, absorbing, consuming loyalty of every person 
and every spirit, to God and Christ and to each other. 
Classes are unknown, eliques are anamolous, schisms 
are malodorous, strifes and contentions are as poison 
to the heart, everything is rich and sweet and pure. 1 
think when St. Paul wrote the 4, 5, 6, 7 verses of 13th 
1 Corinthians he had a vision of the spiritual and so- 
cial state in Heaven. Let me repeat the pretty story. 
‘‘Love suffereth long and is kind, envieth not, vaunt- 
eth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself 
unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, 
thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoic- 
eth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, 
hopeth all things, endureth all things.’’ All those fea- 
tures of Heavenly conditions are as diverse from carnal 
war as God is diverse from Satan, as Heaven is from 
hell, as light is from darkness, as life is from death. 

With a full consciousness of all these facts, men go 
into battle with all the horrible implements of slaugh- 
ter by wholesale, followed by the unspeakable horrors 
of battle fields where millions of men are deliberately, 
malignantly, ferociously murdered with the uttermost 
demoniacal glee, glorifying the orgy by aeclaiming 
the bloody revel, as an achievement of the loftiest, in 
the category of national heroics and unsullied honor. 

And yet men pretending ordination from God, to 
function in behalf of the Loving Savior, abet and ap- 
plaud, to the uttermost, all of the aforementioned hor- 


42 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





rors and with voices attuned with heavenly melodies 
pray that ‘‘God’s will be done on the earth as it is 
done in Heaven.’’ There is nothing in the achieve- 
ments or performances of men’s or angel’s tongues, 
there are no words in any language, in this or all past 
ages combined, to deseribe the absolute and’ pernicious 
incongruity and hypocrisy of such an attitude. It is 
a most flagrant, conscious, negation of their own pray- 
er, a nullification as potent as Satan could suggest, a 
betrayal exceeding the atrocity of Judas Iscariot, a 
perfect paradox. 

A prayer of potential possibilities is next in order 
for exposition: ‘‘forgive us our debts as we forgive 
our debtors,’’ Note our Lord’s comment on the prayer 
in succeeding verses, ‘‘For if ye forgive men their 
trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, 
but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will 
your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.’’ 

There could not be a plainer statement of the condi- 
tion of forgiveness on the part of our Father. It is 
perfect in its simplicity, in its honesty, in its cleanli- 
ness, in its adaptation to human environment. 

It is also most remarkable for the gravity of the 
challenge. Our Father established that relationship to 
himself and to our fellow humans in a form that places 
the entire responsibility for our future state on our- 
selves, with absolute power to make it conserve our 
weal or deluge us in unspeakable woe. 

Let us see how the war advocates meet the issue. 
Our rulers, inspired by the ‘‘lusts which war in our 
members,’ launch a war and millions of young men 
are drawn in the meshes of the military sect. Relig- 
ious organizations everywhere, saving, a few, enter, 
with wholeheartedness, into the scheme and applaud 
and justify and extol, to the limit of their vocabulary, 
and pour into the hearts of their people the baneful 
seeds of hate and revenge. They tell them that love 


THE LORD’S PRAYER AND WAR 4 





and peace and forgiveness are ideals, unattainable and 
impracticable in this age, and will only be realized, in 
some remote period of which we have no comprehen- 
sible, prophetic forecast. 

In the assemblies for divine worship, patriotism is 
exalted’ as the highest attainment in honor of our 
Father, and functioning for spiritual development is 
relegated to the shadow of the indefinite future. 

Millions of our young men are sent, by compulsion, 
over the battle fields of Europe to suffer and die, to 
kill their enemies or be killed by them, with the ap- 
proval of the reputed ministers of righteousness in 
whose custody their souls have been consigned. 

Through all these stages of national and religious 
activities, the beautiful Lord’s prayer is on every 
tongue, in every heart, pleading for bread, for forgive- 
ness, for help in times of temptation, exalting the 
Father, yet, through it all, in which the soul is com- 
pletely absorbed, the vengeance of God, which brings 
eternal punishment, is fixed as immovable as the foun- 
dations of Heaven itself. They become the sole arbiters 
of their own destiny, and its infliction is as certain as 
the voice of the infinite God can make it, ‘‘if ye for- 
give not men their trespasses neither will the Father 
forgive your trespasses.’’ 

Following this feature of the prayer it is suggested 
that we pray ‘‘give us this day our daily bread.’’ We 
will not enter the contest whether this is confined to 
our physical, material ‘‘bread.’’ Such a question is not 
essential. It may mean both, it may mean only one. 

Let us assume that it only refers to material food. 
Millions of men and women, all around the world re- 
peat the formula daily. They are sufficiently conscious 
of the fact that our material food comes from ‘‘Our 
Father who art in heaven.’’ That is affirmed with em- 
phasis in the great Book that ‘‘every good and perfect 
gift cometh from God.’’ When we utter that praver 


44 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


it, would be the supremest arrogance and selfishness for 
us to think of ourselves only. It would be spiritual 
idiocy for us to fail to include all the people of the 
world among the recipients of that gift. It would be 
the spirit of the prayer of the man who prayed ‘‘for 
himself and his wife, his son John and his wife, we 
four and no more.”’ 

It concerns us to know what is the intent of the 
supplicant who is responsible for, or a willing partie- 
ipant in, or apologist of, or sponsor, or abettor of car- 
nal war, when we voice that part of the immortal 
prayer. 

One of the methods of the militarist, who directs 
war activities, is to deprive ‘‘the enemy’’ of food. 
Blockade of all sources of supply are established and ~ 
the purpose to starve their enemies becomes ofttimes 
effectual. When this matter is in progress the solemn 
prayer ‘‘give us this day our daily bread,’’ comes from 
their tongues, volubly and with seeming pathos, but 
back in their hearts the passion to deprive others of 
the essential blessing, by physical force, burns with 
satanic ferocity and fiendish glee and he hails the mes- 
sage that starvation has compelled the surrender of the 
foes. 

Could there be more flagrant perversion of the beau- 
tiful sentiment of that prayer? Could there be a more 
defiant disregard of the passion of love which our 
Father manifests for all his hungry children in this 
cold, dark, lost world? Could there be a more perfect 
conformity to the malignant spirit of Satan than our 
purpose to prevent others from sharing with us this 
material gift of God. In summary, it is just as though 
we would take measures to encompass our loving Lord, 
the immaculate Son of the Father with the bars of 
starvation. ‘‘In as much as ye have done it to the least 
of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.”’ 

As a conerete result of such a perversion of the 


THE LORD’S PRAYER AND WAR 45 


prayer, millions of men, women and children, perished 
with hunger during the bloody world war, and no peo- 
ple more vociferously glorified the awful tragedy than 
those who mechanically repeat that prayer, and none 
will more certainly meet the awful doom when they 
are called before the Judge of the quick and the dead 
at the last day. People who applaud and justify car- 
nal war should never repeat that prayer. 

Passing to the last feature of the immortal document 
we pray that, ‘‘He lead us not into temptation but de- 
liver us from evil.’’ This leadership, of which refer- 
ence is made, is not directly personal, but by implica- 
tion, that is, He permits Satan to tempt His children. 
Job’s experience furnishes definite testimony in justi- 
fication of the contention. Temptation to sin, when 
consciously resisted, is an agency needful to spiritual 
development. It is said ‘‘blessed are ye when tempted 
if ye endure.’’ At that stage of spiritual growth we 
have absolute assurance that Our Father will deliver 
us from the evil results. 

But when we enter into a league and covenant to 
wage carnal war voluntarily, with our hearts in love 
with every element and device of its satanic nature, 
with every national and spiritual agency for the deter- 
minate purpose to maim and kill our enemies whom 
the Father, through his Son, commands us to love, 
with perfect consciousness of the fact that we know- 
ingly, willingly enter into the work of myriad murder, 
we pray Him ‘‘not to lead us into temptation but de- 
liver us from evil.’’ Could brazen impudence be more 
defiant and more certain to bring divine wrath on those 
eapable of such a prostitution of the solemn service of 
prayer? Could mockery of the infinite God by human 
mummies, degenerates in morals, creatures of a sense- 
less day, without vision, with consummate irreverence, 
be more insensate, more rebellious? — 

Men consciously bring on themselves such an agegre- 


AG CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





gation of evils, let me say, sorrows unspeakable, inde- 
seribable, hcinous beyond the possibility of exaggera- 
tion, by launching, abetting, inflicting carnal war on 
each other; war, in which the most efficient employ- 
ment of the weapons of death is the most glorified, and 
yet they repeat the petition ‘‘deliver us from evil,’’ 
the evils that have been self-inflicted. Is it possible for 
us to forecast the quality of the judgment which ‘‘our 
Father in Heaven”’ will visit on us when we prostitute 
that holy petition after the fashions of the profession- 
al war maker? 


We conclude this commentary by a few general ob- 


servations. The spirit of militarism which dominates 


reputed religious organizations, voicing its alleged 


glories in thousands of pulpits, acclaim the Heavenly 


Father, while they function for the glory of satanie 


parentage, and plead for the coming of the kingdom of 
God while they turn the earth upside down in behalf 
of the kingdom of Satan. 

They pray for ‘‘God’s will to be done on earth as it 
is done in Heaven,’’ while they belie brazenly their 
own prayer, by killing their own brethren. They pray 
that ‘‘God would forgive their trespasses as they for- 
give those who trespass against them’’ yet, while their 
breath reeks with the invocation they kill their tres- 
passers. They pray that the Father would not ‘“‘lead 
them into temptation, but deliver them from the evil,’’ 
while they rejoice in the temptation to disobey their 
loving Lord in the battle orgy and willingly go into the 
ways of evil by the conscious breaking of every com- 
mand in the New Testament. 

There is but one possible conclusion that sanity 
draws from this portentous dilemma, which we find in 
2 Corinthians 11:13, 14,15. ‘‘For such are false proph- 
ets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into 
apostles of Christ, and no marvel; for Satan himself 
is transformed into an angel of light, therefore, it is 


THE GOLDEN RULE 47 


no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as 
ministers of righteousness whose end shall be acecord- 
ing to their works.”’ 

When the immaculate prayer is concluded, the mili- 
tarist, the reputed ordained minister of the gospel, the 
millions of men and women throughout the earth who 
are habitually, automatically repeating it in their de- 
votions, close by acclaiming the most sacred ascrip- 
tives in language the most luminous and _ beautiful. 
‘‘Wor thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory 
forever; Amen.’’ After enthroning Satan on the high- 
est peak of demoniacal ambition, and after giving him 
absolute power to dominate the actions of the nations 
in their bloody wars and glorifying him to the utter- 
most limit of their power and opportunity, they wick- 
edly look up in the face of the loving Heavenly Father 
and offer Him ‘‘the kingdom, the power and the glory’”’ 
forever and forever, Amen. 


—_ 
oo 
——— 


THE GOLDEN RULE 


One of the most practical, sensible, human and mer- 
itorious, of all the utterances of our Lord is recorded 
in Matthew 7:12. ‘‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye 
would that men should do unto you do ye even so to 
them, for this is the law and the prophets.’’ This pas- 
sage has the high encomium of ‘‘The Golden Rule.’’ A 
world that ‘‘lieth in wickednegs,’’ as 1st John charges, 
has perverted this immaculate statement and the prac- 
tice is to ‘‘do unto others as they would do to you and 
do it first.’’ 

A practical application of the doctrine of the im- 
mortal rule would heal every hurt in all the affairs and 
emergencies of life, in all its multifarious forms, polit- 
ical, social, economic, industrial, and’ religious. It was 
so intended by its Divine Author. 


48 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


_. Were the nations to consider and adjust all of the 
complicated questions that concern them by this rule 
there could be no wars. These horrible spiritual de- 
bauches are the product of unjust, dishonest, thieving, 
schemers to obtain from rival nations, possessions to 
which they have no moral claim; to obtain by force 
what they could not obtain by negotiation. 

This conclusion has perfect corroboration in St. 
James’ statement that ‘‘wars come from our lusts 
which war in our members.’’ 

The patent reasons that the nations prefer, calculat- 
ingly, to prosecute their schemers through the agency 
of war rather than through the methods suggested by 
our Savior justifies the charge that its inspiration is 
satanic and the non-combatant religious organizations 
find in it abundant authorization for their testimony 
and practice. 

It further warrants the serevest censures against the 
leaders of the religious organizations who have in their 
exelusive possession and administration, the only pan- 
acea for the sorest malady of an afflicted world and 
who, not only fail or refuse to commend it, but, con- 
trariwise, aid and abet its conscious violation in prac- 
tically every war for a thousand years. 

This was true during the civil war between the 
American states, when the leaders of these organiza- 
tions were the principal agents in recruiting the armies 
and inflaming their congregations, on both sides, with 
the satanie spirit of war, and their attitude during the 
late world war was perfectly consistent therewith. 

They have the ordained mission to interpret the 
Golden Rule, as well as every other direct inhibition of 
the employment of military force, by their divine Mas- 
ter, and the world will never be healed of its deadly 
wounds till the divine remedy is applied, and our fail- 
ure to recommend it is a betrayal of our Lord, as 
wicked as that of the Apostolic traitor, Judas Iseariot. 


THE GOLDEN RULE — 49 





‘‘Inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these my 
brethren ye have done it unto me.’’ Millions of the 
professed disciples of our Lord, are slain on the bloody 
fields of battle simply because the ordained leaders of 
our Lord do not bear testimony in behalf of love and 
peace, and the golden rule. 

Let us urge, with all the vehemence and earnestness 
that the love of peace inspires in our hearts that the 
ministers of the Church of the Brethren maintain in- 
violate their stand against the barbarity of carnal war. 
1 need not tell them that our age long position on that 
subject is the one only guarantee that we are the cus- 
todians of the world’s only hope, without which our 
pulpit performances are nothing but ‘‘sounding brass 
and tinkling cymbals.”’ 

(It is cause of exceeding sorrow that in, not a few 
places, our ministers and bishops openly applauded the 
late war and favored the bearing of arms and fighting 
on the battle fields, by our young brethren, in which 
some were killed; hurled before the judgment seat of 
God with the stain of blood upon their souls.) 

We must maintain the fundamental doctrine and 
practice of love and peace that have been our glorious 
heritage since our organization in 1708 if we want our 
claim to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to pass to 
coming generations. 

With this ‘‘Rule’’ do you think we can smilingly 
and serenely look our dear Master im the face and, by 
honest warrant of His Word, go forth armed with all 
the grim weapons of death, wound and kill our breth- 
ren or even our enemies, if there be such a psycholog- 
ical phenomena as a national enemy, and make orphans 
and widows by the million, and devastate large areas 
of habitable country and bring starvation to other mil- 
lions, and break down all the moral standards, and 
break the hearts and destroy the homes of other mil- 
lions? Think you, honest reader, in the face of the rich 


50 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





heritage of peace and love from the dear Lord and of 
His lustrous life, that you can expect the approval of 
the Heavenly’ Father in the day of judgment with such 
a record as you make on the field of battle. 

And what of the dominant influence in all human 
activities which, by divine ordination has been given 
to the leaders of the religious forces of the reputed 
Christian nations and which is today, and for a thou- 
sand years, ever since the days of the Roman Emperor 
Constantine, who recognized the right of the church to 
governmental protection; I ask what will be the ver- 
dict of history and of the last judgment in view of the 
fact that the uttermost limit of that power has been in 
behalf of the law of force, the arbitrament of carnal 
war, the chance decision of the battle fields, in the pale 
tragic glare of millions killed and in the unearthly 
shrieks and moans and curses and prayers of millions 
wounded. Yes,’’ the clerical powers of the world can 
make the ‘‘golden rule’’ the basis of settlement of all 
controversies whenever they yield to the benign influ- 
ence of the doctrines of the New Testament. Yet, 
too horrible to contemplate for a moment, the only 
countries in the world that are not completely obsessed 
with the military spirit, are those over whose spiritual 
life the clericals are not in absolute control. The final 
solution of this vital question is absolutely in their 
hands and the sin of failure to meet it lieth at their 
door. ‘‘If we see the sword coming on the land and 
fail to warn the people, the people will perish and their 
blood will be required at our hands.’’ Ezek. 33:6. 

Write the blessed ‘‘Rule’’ on your denominational 
banners, write it in your creeds, observe it in your ad- 
ministration, make it vital in your schedule of denom- 
inational standards, preach it from your pulpits, let its 
saintly glare shine in your literature, beautify your 
homes with its sweet message in pictured stories that 
adorn its walls, and the deathly wounds which have 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN a1 


afflicted the world for thousands of years will be auto- 
matically healed and your God will be glorified and ' 
Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit. 

Let us make the ‘‘Golden Rule’’ a vital feature in 
our denominational curriculum and the Father’s bene- 
diction will illumine our spiritual horizon as the blaz- 
ing sun brightens the morning skies. 


oo 
—————— 
——— 


EXPOSITION OF 1ST CORINTHIANS, 13TH CHAP- 
TER IN ITS RELATION TO CARNAL WAR 


The preceding chapter is devoted to the establish- 
ment of harmony in the Corinthian congregation. 
There seemed to be imperfect comprehension of the re- 
lation of the officials toward each other, and conecern- 
ing the spiritual endowments of the various inecum- 
bents. St. Paul gave a very lucid comparison of the 
functions of the officers to the different parts of the 
human body, and he clearly established a fundamental 
principle in their administration which emphasized the 
the independence and inter-dependence of the various 
officials. This condition, and the methods of adjust- 
ment was, in a restricted sense, mechanical; which 
means, the possibility of successful administration, in- 
dependent of the Holy Spirit. Sentiment, or personal 
abstraction, or self-effacement was not essential to a 
successful performance of their duties. It would need 
a measure of common sense, efficiency in the compre- 
hension of the details of their various departments, 
harmony of purpose to eliminate the possibilities of 
friction. 

St. Paul clearly foresaw the open door to dissension. 
In a previous chapter he pointed sharply to the fact 
that their spiritual development was almost nil, and, in 
order to bring to their attention a vital element in the 
spirit life, he says in the last verse, ‘‘I show you a more 


< 


V2 | CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


excellent way’’ and proceeds to set before them the in- 
vincible power of charity, or, in modern phrase, love, 
as the supreme spiritual power in attaining the trans- 
formed life. 

In developing this subject we strictly adhere to our 
purpose to show that love, as the substructure of the 
system of doctrine which our Lord brought into the 
world, and its antagonism to carnal war, is justified 
beyond the power of eavil. It will be noted that every 
feature of the holy passion is adverse to war and that 
the advocacy of the latter is a denial of the former. It 


will be shown that, when love prevails, as our Lord dis- 


played, and' such as His apostles taught, war is a posi- 
tive anomaly, a contradiction, a misnomer, as absolutely 
unrelated as the antipodes. | 


Let us note the testimony and the argument. The 


first three verses were written to meet certain methods 
of the great deceiver in providing substitutes, in lieu 
of specific commands, and those substitutes are so 
cautiously, cunningly perverted and have such a pre- 
tense to merit that one is easily misled. Even the very 
elect would be deceived if such a thing were possible. 

‘‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and! an- 
gels and have not love I am become as sounding brass 
and a tinkling cymbal.’’ Such a demonstration would 
be miraculous, direct from a magnetic, spiritual force, 


and it would appeal to the casual observer as an evi- — 


dence of the presence and power of God. Such a gift 
could not come by heredity or scholastic culture. 


But Satan has the power to work miracles. In Reve- 


lation 16:14, we read, ‘‘For they (the false prophets) 
are the spirits of devils working miracles.’’ Other pas- 
sages confirm this. 

The ‘‘tongues’’ of men to which St. Paul refers are 
the same gifts which our Lord gave His disciples, and 
the tongues of angels are, evidently, .a means of verbal 
communication adapted to conditions in the multitud- 


7 oe ae 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN D3 


inous worlds of which there are illimitable numbers in 
the infinite realm of space. Of course, such conditions 
and the methods of angelic communication are un- 
known to us, but such a gift or demonstration would 
be easily attributed to God. Yet such gifts without 
the Christ spirit of love, is consciously communicated 
by Satan and has no other effect on our spiritual 
nature than the vaporous jingle of ‘‘sounding brass or 
a tinkling eymbal.’’ 

We are next carried to a higher plane of religious 
demonstration. ‘‘Though I have the gift of prophecy 
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and 
though I have all faith so that I could remove moun- 
tains and have not charity I am nothing.’’ In this 
verse certain gifts are presented that point, seemingly, 
to a specific, divine power; and one unattuned to 
Satan’s methods, would easily recognize the hand of 
God, and there is but one way to determine the char- 
acter of the agency that gave those people such won- 
drous power, and that is to test the quality of their 
spiritual life by the law of love. Without the love of 
our Lord, as set forth in His life and teaching, the mir- 
aculous power displayed would be ‘‘nothing’’ as to evi- 
dence of their fraternal relation to Him. 

Note when ‘‘love”’ is referred to, it is always under- 
stood to be the eternal testimony against war. Note 
the wondrous gifts. The gift of prophecy is acclaimed 
as absolute evidence of the divine presence, yet Satan 
has the power to exercise that gift, and he has a nu- 
merous coterie of false prophets to which reference is 
made in Matthew 7:15. ‘‘Beware of false prophets who 
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but, inwardly, they 
are ravening wolves.’’ ‘‘And understand all myster- 
ies.’’? We could easily obtain the applause of the un- 
suspecting crowd, and their approval, as a messenger 
of God, if we could reveal the ‘‘mystery of godliness’’ 
to which St. Paul refers in Ist Timothy 3:16, and the 


54 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


‘‘mystery of iniquity,’’ m 2 Thessalonians 2:7, the 
mystery of the resurrection, Ist Corinthians 15. None 
but those who are in personal communication with the 
spirit world, either godlike or Satanic, can understand 
these mysteries. 

‘‘And all knowledge.’’ Our achievements in the 
realm of knowledge are pitifully limited and meagre; 
knowledge of astronomie conditions, of the material 
and spiritual world, the aerial elements, the human 
form divine, of psychology, or the science of the soul. 

‘‘And though I have all faith so that I could remove 
mountains and have not love I am nothing.’’ Let us 
try and identify these ‘‘mountains.’’ 

Note these references. Matthew 17:20. ‘‘If ye had. 
faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this 
mountain, remove hence to yonder place and it would 
remove.’’ The common interpretation puts these 
‘‘mountains’’ in the class of difficulties, troubles, prob- 
lems. This simply eliminates the element of faith, 
which was a fundamental quality in the mind of the 
apostle. I unhesitatingly maintain that it was a mate- 
rial mountain, just plain heaps of earth and stone like 
our Rockies, and Blue, and the Andes, and Himalayas. 
In Hebrews, 11:2, we read that ‘‘Through faith the 
worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things 
which are seen were not made of things which do ap- 
pear.’’? This means that this world, mountains in- 
cluded, were made out of nothing, and do you not 
think it would take more faith to make a mountain out 
of nothing, than to remove it after it was made? After 
all of the aforementioned marvelous gifts, if love be 
wanting we are ‘‘nothing.’’ 

‘“Fhough I give all my goods to feed the poor, and 
though | give my body to be burned and have not love 
it profiteth me nothing.’’ It is evidently the purpose 
of the deceiver to furnish to the world what could be 
interpreted as absolutely conclusive demonstration that 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN D9 


love was not a vital feature in the curriculum of our 
Lord. He would point, with demoniacal glee, to the 
spirit of benevolence that prompted the ‘‘giving of 
all of one’s goods to feed the poor,’’ and the spirit that 
inspired the supreme sacrifice of life at the burning 
stake, as evidence that they meet, in the fullest meas- 
ure, the divine conditions of salvation. He would then 
preserve intact his policy of hate and murder in a ear- 
nal war and thus defy the immaculate Teacher of 
brotherly love. 

But the Apostle sets at nought the fallacious portrait 
and tells a gaping, cynical world that, without love, 
even such an exalted conception of personal sacrifice 
would ‘‘profit nothing.’’ 

We pass now to the consideration of the moral and 
spiritual composition of love, as particularized in the 
four succeeding verses which are here appended. ‘‘ Love 
suffereth long and is kind’, love envieth not, love vaunt- 
eth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself 
unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, 
thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth 
in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, 
hopeth all things, endureth all things.’’ Let the inter- 
ested reader of these lines note their relation to the 
various features of war. Each feature of love which 
is so poignantly and minutely chronicled show the 
sharpest divergence from the bloody battle fields. The 
srace of ‘‘suffering’’ national or personal aggression, 
or oppression, or offences of any and all kinds, is ta- 
booed by the spirit of war. ‘‘Kindness’’ toward! enc- 
mies is treason to military masters, and ‘‘envy’’ is one 
of the causes of all wars, and no class more offensively 
displays the ‘‘ vaunting’’ ‘‘puffed’’ frailty or vice, than 
the professional militarist. 

From the ranking officer to the lowest recruit, self- 
exaltation is the dominant characteristic, and this of- 
fensive trait does not come from conscious superiority, 


56 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





based on merit but to the aecident of official privilege. 

In ‘‘behavior’’ militarism is offensive to every senti- 
ment held m esteem by sanely ordered civil society, 
and its ambition is only satisfied when it can possess 
everything belonging to an enemy, and its sensitiveness 
is so acute that provocation results from the faintest 
manitestation of differences of views or opposition to 
their personal tastes. Their occasions of greatest ‘‘re- 
joicing’’ is when ‘‘iniquity’’ abounds and love is cold, 
and when truth is dead, and lies are triumphant. The 
most potential liars are those who are the most viector- 
ious in war or in diplomacy. Unless one has the moral 
turpitude or the intellectual aptitude, to conceal the 


truth, he cannot become a successful soldier or dip- 


lomat. This is the faculty to present a falsehood under 
the guise of a truth. 

The completeness of our subjection to the possession 
of love is stressed in verse 7, ‘‘Beareth all things, be- 
lieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all 
things.’’ 

Love never cavils, and knows no limitations in the 


exercise of its functions. It measures all things by its” 


own standards and those standards are all of divine 
suggestion and inspirations. In speaking of believing 
‘fall things’’ it is manifest that it only pertains to the 
words of our Lord and His apostles. We are told in 
2nd Thessalonians 2:10, 11 that ‘‘ because they received 
not the love of the truth, God’ shall send them strong 
delusion that they should ‘believe a lie,’ and be 
damned.’’ 

One who ‘‘loves’’ is a ‘‘burden bearer’’ after the 
fashion of his Savior. His happiest experiences are the 
fruits of services for others, and it can only come to 
those whose hearts are transformed by the power of 
the Heavenly passion. 

His ‘‘hopes’’ are so comprehensive and so vivid that 
no calamity, no adversity can shut out the light of the 


pall 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN 57 





brilliant lamp of God’s promises. Such a_ spiritual 
state takes away all the gloom of doubt, and, where it 
prevails, all friction between peoples and nations dis- 
appear and the causes of war evaporate as the fog be- 
fore the rising sun. It is the anchor that calms every 
storm, that bridges every chasm, and steadies the ship 
of the soul as it is tempest tossed on the sea of time. 
The fears which are the fruitful sources of war has no 
response in his heart. | 

In ‘‘enduring all things’’ he never loses the effectual 
balanee of the love that knows no surcease. What 
would seem to be eause for protest, for recrimination, 
is a recognition, that, in the mind of our Heavenly 
Father conditions are abnormal at this stage of the 
progress of the world, and’ he is assured that ‘‘ blessed 
is he when he is tempted if he endures.’’ The richest 
of Heaven’s blessings are assured on the condition that 
we ‘‘endure all things’’ and such a mental and spirit- 
ual state would make wars impossible. 

The Apostle next takes up the matter of the passing 
of present earthly conditions with the lapse of the ages, 
changes which are inevitable in view of the close of the 
present dispensation. Prophecies fail, that is, the per- 
iod and conditions to which they pertain have passea, 
and the gift of tongues cease to function, and know- 
ledge shall vanish away. The achievements of scien- 
tists, philosophers, statesmen, diplomatists, will all be- 
come void, and an era will be launched in every mate- 
rial respect different from that which prevails now. 

- But love, the love of God for men, and of men for 
God and of men for each other, will then dominate the 
entire fabrie of government and religion and society. 

He emphasizes the pitiable limitations that handicap 
the people of the Lord during this age. We now ‘‘ know 
in part’’ and our prophetic foreeasts of the future, are 
far behind the facts, as they relate to future condi- 
tions. When we tell the sinner, in our ministerial ser- 


08 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





vice, that an eternal hell awaits him if he does not ¢con- 
fess his Lord, we know very little about the full mean- 
ing and import of the horrible penalty. When we tell 
the convert that an eternity of happiness awaits him 
in Heaven he will find, when he reaches the goal, that 
‘‘behold, the half had not been told.’’ 

Our imperfect spiritual vision can only touch the 
borders of the beautiful sphere. We only ‘‘know in 
part’’ but following the divine injunction, in Hebrews 
6:1, we strive to ‘“‘go on to perfection,”’ and ‘‘we shall 
know then even as we are known.’’ Then our hearts 
will be as open as our faces are now. We can conceal 
our secret impulses and motives now, but then we will 
have the additional sense or faculty of intuition, which 
is the faculty of direct knowledge without the ordinary 
method of reasoning or suggestion. 

In the closing verse we have the climax of the whole 
controversy, ‘‘And now abideth faith, hope, love, these 
three, but the greatest of these is love.’’ 

The sum of all the divine attributes seems to be em- 
bodied in ‘‘these three’’ the assumed basis of the entire 
Christian system, and we should aspire to that degree 
of spiritual illumination that we could comprehend the 
wonderful phenomena. 

These three special qualities which will abide with 
us ‘till the end of this dispensation, is revealed. Other 
features may change to meet changing conditions. Fun- 
damentals have changed, such, for instance, as the com- 
mingling of the Jewish with the Christian ritual in the 
early history of the church but these ‘‘three shall”’ 
‘*abide.’’ 

‘‘Faith,’’ the first of the immaculate three, is great 
because it is a full compensation for every limitation 
of our present spiritual senses. We cannot see, or un- 
derstand, but we ean believe, even when our belief 
seems to be inconclusive and even contradictory to sup- 
posed facts. Faith assumes the responsibility, however 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN a9 





grave it may be, to believe and perform a command- 
ment of our Lord without the usual practice in vogue 
among us of discussion or argument. It is pitifully, 
tragically vidiculous to hear high religious functioners, 
tell their people that carnal war is necessary for de- 
fense of our rights, and that our Lord would reward 
his children for killing their enemies in battle, and that 
the pacifist attitude is impracticable in this age, and 
much more of dissent along the same lines. 


‘‘Hope’’ is greater than faith in that it is the fruit 
of faith. Faith is the plant and hope the fruit. With- 
out it, faith would fail. Faith launches the ship out on 
the storm-tossed sea, hope assures of safe arrival on the 
other shore. Without this absolute guarantee we 
would fail in our works of faith. ‘‘Hope sees a star,’’ 
while faith simply ‘‘hears the faint rustle of a wing.’’ 
Faith bridges the chasm while hope supplies the light 
that guides the travelers across. Faith climbs the moun- 
tains, while hope supplies the strength that enables us 
to reach the erest and assures us of victory. 


Faith removes the mountains, material mountains, 
mind you, and not imaginary ones, while hope assures 
you of God’s approval and reward. 


These gifts are solely for this era. As great and 
effectual as they are to meet present emergencies they 
will pass out of existence or operation when this dis- 
pensation passes. Faith is succeeded by the spiritual 
faculty of sight, and when we reach the eternal home 
we leave hope behind, for we do not hope for that 
which we have. 

‘‘But the greatest of these is Love.’ 
eral important reasons why it is the greatest. The fac- 
ulties of faith and hope, in a material way, concern 
our relation to God and ourselves personally. It ad- 
justs those relations to meet the conditions of our sal- 
vation. Faith and hope may be both imperfect. 


> 


There are sev- 


60 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


But love touches our relations to, and activities in 
behalf of our fellow creatures, and it fashions our en- 
tire spiritual and personal life. It transforms us from 
kinship and’ likeness to Satan, to a personal relation- 
ship with God, and impresses on us His image and Jike- 
ness. It further establishes an identity of psychology 
with that of the angels of the Heavenly world, in more 
significant phrase, it enables us to do ‘‘the Father’s 
will in this world as it is done in heaven,’’ as we say 
in the immortal prayer. It further places an insuper- 
able barrier between us and Satan. He can no more 
exist in the atmosphere of love than we can exist, spir- 
itually, in the atmosphere of hate. Each is death to 
the other. 

Moreover, it is the only hope for this world in the 
quest of happiness. Without it this world is a prison; 
with it, it is a palace. As love prevails we have ‘‘rest 
to our souls;’’ as it recedes we live in the tempest of 
wrath, both human and Divine. With it in our hearts 
and’ lives, we bear testimony to the doctrines and life 
of our Lord, without it we bear the image and likeness 
of Satan. It is the insuperable element in the nature 
of our Heavenly Father, while its antipode, hate, is the 
insuperable nature of Satan. 

Love is greatest because it is the only and last rem- 
edy for the ills that now afflict and curse the people 
of the world, Further it finds its most emphatic ex- 
pression in its elemental antagonism, to carnal war. It 
is as impossible to prosecute war when love dominates 
our hearts as it would be for darkness to prevail at 
noonday, or Satan and Christ to work in concert, as for 
a man to lift himself across a chasm by grasping his 
girdle, or for the heights to say to the depths, ‘‘ We are 
one,’’ or for a murderer to say to his wife, from whose 
heart he had just drawn a dagger, ‘‘I love you,”’ or to 
believe that Heaven and hell are misnomers, or to ree- 
oneile a thousand incompatible things. 


— ee 


FIRST CORINTHIANS, THIRTEEN 61 





It is greatest, finally, because on it is founded the en- 
tire structure of the scheme of redemption, without 
which the whole edifice would fall as a house falls that 
is built on the sand, because it is the dominating char- 
acteristic of our Lord, because it is the heart and soul 
of the kingdom of Heaven, as it is the heart and soul 
of our happy home, because it will bring the kingdom 
of God down to the earth, because it will indissolubly 
unite the church on earth with the church in Heaven, 
because it is the only thing that will purify the earth 
from the menace of Satan’s pressure, because it will 
continue its sweetening, enriching, exalting, glorifying 
office, as long as God and Heaven and human souls 
exist, because it will fulfill our prayer, to the highest 
point of hope and expectation that the Father’s ‘‘ will 
be done on earth as it is done in Heaven,’’ because it 
found its highest expression in the beautiful life of the 
world’s Redeemer, because it is the dominating passion 
that characterizes and controls the hosts of angels and 
eherubs and seraphs whose abiding place is in the spir- 
it world, in the dwelling place of our Heavenly Father. 


With the absence of love nothing remains. We ac- 
claim the supremacy of the Heavenly Father and the 
divinity and virgin birth of Christ. His physical death, 
His resurrection, ascension to Heaven, and His coming 
back to earth again; the personality and inspirational 
office of the Holy Ghost, the administration of the 
Angels, the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, the 
validity of water baptism, and the essential character 
of the service of the sacrament of bread and wine, but 
all this will not avail if we favor carnal wars and the 
killing of our enemies and deny the vital elements of 
love and peace. All else is ‘‘nothing’’ when these are 
absent. ‘‘And the greatest of these is Charity.’’ 


62 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


A BLOODY MURDER 

The following story of a bloody murder is said to 
have been told to an inquisitive son, by his father, and, 
as is seems to have all the substantial features of truth- 
fulness, I will pass it on to the juvenile readers of our 
book. 

Son.—Father, why do you not tell us some of the 
many pretty stories of which you seem to have so 
many ? 

Father.—Son I am so busy with my affairs that I 
have hardly time for such diversions. 

Son.—But father if your stories have seeming ele- 
ments of fact, and have good moral lessons, do you not 
think you could take the time to relate them to us? | 

Father.—I think you are right, son, so you may tel? 
me what you like the best, and, I will give it to you. 

Son.—Tell me a story of a bloody murder. 

Father—Why do you want such a tale as that? 

Son.—Because they are so thrilling and you know 
healthy boys delight in thrills. 

Father.—Well once upon a time a league of men, you 
may call it a plot, was formed to go to a distant town 
and kill the people. 

Son.—They were an ill-natured, scowling, lynx-eyed, 
heavy-jawed, gang of outlaws, I imagine. 

Father.—On the contrary they were fine looking, 
manly men, of splendid physique, and good parentage 
and they marched onward to their rendezvous. 

Son.—Creeping along under the shadow of the for- 
ests and the gloom of a moonless night. 

Father.—Otherwise, my boy, they went in the broad 
glare of a bright sunlight, on the great highway. 

Son.—But father, they would have been discovered 
and their purpose to murder those people defeated. 

Father.—They did not seem to be disturbed by such 
conditions. On the contrary they made a great display 
of themselves and the noise of their fifes and drums 


THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR 63 





created great commotion throughout the country. They 
reached the town and immediately began to kill and 
soon they had slain 20,000 of the inhabitants. 

Son—Why father, how could a few men murder 20,- 
000? 

Father.—Because there were 30,000 murderers. 

Son.—Oh father, you promised to tell me the story 
of a bloody murder and it is just a story of a great 
battle. 

Father.—Yes, my son, and I do not know of any mur- 
der more bloody than killing men in a battle. All bat- 
tles are nothing more, when you consider results, than 
bloody murders. Battles were fought in the olden time 
to kill over-populated countries, now they are fought 
to kill off competitors in trade, and rivals in govern- 
ments, and all killing is murder, whether it is done in 
the darkness of the streets and alleys of the city by 
professional criminals, or on the fields of battle, under 
the auspices of the rulers of the nations. 


——_—_—_———— 
_—— 


THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR 


Current literature of the war times has much to. say 
condemnatory of the hated ‘‘conscientious objector’’ 
and we accept the implied challenge that it casts into 
our faces. The ground on which we base our stand for 
peace at any price is as invulnerable as the immaculate 
Word of God, and we eonsider ourselves favored of 
our Lord in that we can publish herein the reasons that 
inspire our pacific attitude. 

The religious organizations consisting of the Church 
of the Brethren, the Quakers, and Mennonites, and 
kindred branches, were mercilessly censured, falsified, 
maligned, persecuted, even unto death, because they 
solidly took their position in favor of universal peace. 
This stand was and is taken simply because the Lord, 
whose servants we profess to be, has commanded us to 





64 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


love our brethren and our enemies and forgive our tres- 
passers, because He has made our ultimate salvation 
contingent on obedience to His commandments. Note 
the following excerpt from Ist John 2:4. ‘‘He that 
saith I know Him and keepeth not His commandments 


is a liar and the truth is not in him,”’ and again, ‘‘If a. 


man say I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar, 
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, 
how can he love God whom he hath not seen?’’ verse 
20. Similar testimonies can be adduced, ad infinitum, 
all of which are as definite against carnal war as the 
infinite mind and voice of God can make it. 

I want herein, to emphasize the shallowness of the 
antagonism of our censors in their attitude toward the 


pacifist doctrine. They say a person who will not serve. 
his country in war has no right to its protection, In re- — 


buttal we will say no people have higher standards of 
loyalty to their rulers than these ‘‘objectors.’’ Their 
habits of industry, economy, law abiding, purity of 
morals, opposition to all phases of social dissipation, 
business trickery, political juggling, and crookedness 
of any and all kinds distinguished them above the 
masses as demonstration of the loftiest forms of so- 
ealled patriotism, and entitles them to the fullest mea- 
sure of government protection. They meet every de- 
mand of every government except that of killing peo- 
ple in war. ) 
Our eritics make numerous mistakes when they at- 
tempt to explain the relation of men to Jesus Christ 
and the function of conscience, simply because they are 
better fitted to expound the formula of transient pol- 
ities than that of the counsels of the infinite God. 
Every normal person, whether they be Christian, in- 
fidel or pagan is constantly under guidance of con- 
science and, if they have any of the attributes of man- 
hood, they will suffer without complaint or timidity 
before they will desert a fundamental principle. When 


A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR 65 — 


that moral property is lost the descent to the level of 
a conscienceless animal is rapid and complete. 

Let us ask these voluble critics to give a logical an- 
swer to a few questions which embody some of the 
leading doctrines of our Lord on the subject of carnal 
war. When Christ said ‘‘blessed are the peacemakers 
for they shall be called the children of God’’ would you 
infer that war-makers are Satan’s children? 

When He said, ‘‘it hath been said by them of old time 
(Moses’ time) thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate 
thine enemy, but I say unto you, love your enemies,’’ 
did he have it optional with us to kill them and will he 
justify us if we choose to kill them? 

It is affirmed in Revelation, chapter 20, that during 
the millennium there will be no wars because the devil 
will be chained in the bottomless pit. Are we war- 
ranted in affirming, therefrom, that he inspires the 
wars among the nations now? 

St. James says, in his general epistle, that ‘‘ wars 
come from our lusts which war in our members.’’ Will 
the Father approve our actions in the last Judgment if 
our lives are fashioned by our lusts? The lusts of the 
flesh are ‘‘hatred, variance, wrath, strife, sedition, here- 
sles, murder, and such like.’’ Galatians 5:20, 21. What 
harmony is there between the substance of 13th Ist 
Corinthians and carnal war? The same relation that 
exist between our Lord and Satan. 

When St. Paul says ‘‘the weapons of our warfare are 
not carnal but spiritual,’’ would he approve of the 
weapons of carnal war, such as swords, guns, bayonets, 
poison gas, ete.? 

As peace and love were the dominant traits in the 
life of our Lord, should we not make them dominant 
in our lives? In Romans 8:9 it is said, ‘‘if any man have 
not the spirit of Christ he is none of His.’’ The fruits 
of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering. Are 
these fruits developed in war? 


66 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


As our Lord was and is the Prince of peace, there- 
fore a pacifist, why are His followers soa bitterly de- 
nounced by press and pulpit? 

It is generally agreed that Sherman was justified in 
saying that ‘‘war is hell.’’ If so, how can we identify 
- ourselves with conditions that are significant of demo- 
niacal inspiration? 

Our Lord came to destroy the works of the devil and 
it is morally impossible for Him to identify Himself 
with anything which savors of the satanic spirit, neith- 
er will His disciples affiliate therewith. 

In the foregoing analysis of the ‘‘objectors’ ’’ atti- — 
tude toward carnal war we give definite and conclusive 
reasons why we cannot participate therein, and, as long 
as we proclaim allegiance to our Lord we will main-- 
tain our ground. It is absolutely fundamental and it 
would be treasonable to Him to change it in the small- 
est degree. 

This position does not prohibit employment in works 
of charity, humanity such as service in hospitals, or any 
duty, where our lives are not placed in jeopardy. We 
are under specific obligation to conserve our lives to 
His glory and honor. ‘‘He came that we might have 
life and have it more abundantly.’’ There is only one 
condition that would justify our exposure to a tragic 
death and that is a command by our rulers to disobey 
an explicit command of our Lord. A martyr’s death is 
more glorious than a life of conscious disobedience to 
our Lord and Master. 

We are characterized as ‘‘curious creatures’’ by our 
censors. It surely is not our fault if we excite their 
curiosity. Any person who enjoys sane faculties, in a 
reputed Christian country such as ours, where the 
teachings of the Prince of Peace has been in every 
home for hundreds of years, should be famlliar with 
peace loving people. Would the immaculate Nazarene 
excite their curiosity were He to appear on the streets 


PRE-DILUVIAN HISTORY 67 


of our cities in the role of teacher of love and peace? 

We have been denounced as traitors to country and 
democracy. Let us suggest that such accusations be 
referred to the arbitrament of the eternal God who will 
sit In the seat of judgment at the last day, when we 
will be judged according to the deeds we are doing now 
in our mortal bodies. 

We will close this chapter by quoting, in spirit the 
dying message of Joshua 24:15. 

If it seem evil unto you that we will not kill our 
brethren in war choose you, this day whom you will 
serve, whether the god of war, whom our pagan ances- 
tors glorified, or the Prince of peace whom our Heaven- 
ly Father sent into the world to bring to us the blessed 
message of peace on earth and good will toward men, 
but as for us we will not engage in carnal war, let 
others do as they will. 


——————_— 
nt 
———— a 


PRE-DILUVIAN WAR HISTORY 


The psychology of the human element in creation 
has not changed a scintilla since the days of the first 
falling away in the garden of Eden. Physically the 
change has been great, greater than our imaginations 
can comprehend, resulting in decreased longevity, from 
969 years to 70, the historic ‘‘three score and _ ten.’’ 
This change was wrought within the limit of 2500 years 
from the creation. 

It would not be speculative to affirm that this change 
was the product of unsanitary living, and of immor- 
alities, and other conditions which adversely affected 
the transmission of healthful influences to the passing 
generations. The laws of life and health are as immut- 
able as are other laws which God has established to 
regulate and control the various features of His crea- 
tions. 

But spiritual conditions have not changed. The prin- 


68 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


ciples of evil and of good are immutable. The carnal 
mind is the product of satanic influences and is as un- 
changeable asthe satanic nature, and that nature dom- 
inated the activities of the human family in the pre- 
diluvian age, in perfect conformity to conditions now 
extant in the world. All the vices that now prevail, 
prevailed in those distant ages: greed for wealth, for 
power, for sexual irregularities, defiance of the sover- 
eignty of God, irreverence, passion for murder, in a 
word, every manifestation of present day wickedness 
was approximately universal then. 

A notation of events that followed banishment from 
the paradise shows that, from the killing of Abel ’till 
the birth of the first grandson of Adam, a period of 
235 years there was no regular authorized religious ser- 
vice. In verse 26, of chapter 4 of Genesis it is recorded 
that ‘‘then began men to eall upon the name of the 
Lord.’’ I infer from this statement that, at that time, 
they commenced regularly authorized formulas and ex- 
ercises for religious worship. Five hundred and! twen- 
ty-two years after that period, Enoch was born and he 
was translated, that is, he was taken from the earth to 
heaven miraculously, because ‘‘he had this testimony 
that he pleased God’’ and that ‘‘he walked with God.’’ 
This would indicate that certain forms of religious ser- 
' vice existed then which enabled men to live righteous 
lives. 

Four hundred and thirty-four years later Noah was 
born, and five handred years from that date the flood 
came, which swept from the earth everything that 
breathed, except that which was preserved in the Ark. 
It is said that ‘‘Noah found grace in the eyes of the 
Lord.”’ 

There were evidently two classes that emerged out 
of the chaotic conditions known as ‘‘the Sons of God”’ 
and ‘‘the daughters of men.’’ The former were the 
offspring of Seth, the third son of Adam, and the lat- 


PRE-DILUVIAN HISTORY 69 


ter, of Cain; the former semi-religious, the latter, whol- 
ly irreligious, and, later, they commingled in some 
form of marriage. 

This union, supposedly by marriage; for it is said 
‘‘they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving 
in marriage;’’ Matthew 24:38, apparently destroyed 
the spirituality of their religious exercises and 
brought on them the vengeance of God. It is said in 
Genesis 5:5 that ‘‘God saw the wickedness of man was 
great in the earth and that the imagination of his heart 
was only evil continually,’’ and he said in verse 7, ‘‘I 
will destroy man whom [ have created from the face 
of the earth.’’ It is said again in verse 11 that ‘‘the 
earth was corrupt. before God and was filled with vio- 
lence.’’? In verse 13, He said unto Noah: ‘‘The end of 
all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with 
violence through them and, behold, I will destroy them 
with the earth.’’ 

The climax is reached and we will take an exhaustive 
survey of conditions which will show that the wicked- 
ness that is rushing the world to destruction today Is 
only a duplication of the same conditions that  pre- 
vailed then, and to emphasize the fact that the subor- 
dination of our hearts and lives to the success of sa- 
tanic purposes is bringing us to the same stage that 
preceded the flood. 

It is not the intention to favor a prevalent belief that 
the world is ripening for some universal destruction, 
but to show uncontrovertible evidence that Satan has 
practically universal dominion over the earth now as 
he had then. 

Let us note some of those features. They were busy 
building cities, as told in Genesis 4:17. Cain, who 
loved his brother Abel with a hypocritical love and 
slew him, was the first builder of a city. This was fol- 
lowed by the building of manufacturing establishments 
for the construction of tents, musical instruments, and 


70 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


presumably, of all kinds of machinery for all kinds of 
purposes. ‘‘Artificers in brass and iron’? products 
were distinguishing features in industrial matters; in 
fact, it would be within the range of logical conclusion 
to say that no age of the world witnessed a greater 
demonstration of executive and administrative effi- 
ciency than that. Presumably, in mental culture, in 
scientific development of all the agencies of the high- 
est civilization that ever existed in the world, prevailed 
then. 

They were the immediate offspring of a race that had 
just been created in God’s image and likeness and pro- 
nounced good and ‘‘not only good but very good.’’ 
This leads us to the contemplation of characteristics, 
that have a direct relation to the people of this age. It 
is said, as heretofore quoted, that ‘‘the earth was filled 
with violence and that the imagination of his heart was 
only evil continually.’’ From the beginning of our 
history the value of human life, has been practically 
nil, of no value in comparison with conflicting inter- 
ests. The blood lust, the passion for killmg people 
whom they disliked, was born in Cain and he passed 
the passion to posterity of whom, practically all of the 
race were composed at that time. At least, they ex- 
erted a commanding influence over the world, so com- 
pletely, that only eight were found, of all the billions 
that lived on the earth at that time, were counted wor- 
thy of immunity from that tragedy. 

It can be reasonably coneluded that no age of the 
world exceeded that in the perfection of development 
of all the appliances and agencies that could enhance 
human comfort. 

In agriculture, horticulture, manufactures, com- 
meree, travel, all pleasure-contributing devices, learn- 
ing, which comprehends every thing that pertained to 
the earth and the heavens, they excelled all succeeding 
ages, 


PRE-DILUVIAN HISTORY 71 


Suppose our philosophers, hierarchs, scientists, pol- 
iticians, statesmen, scholars, and inventors, could live 
up in the hundreds of years, five, six, seven, eight, nine 
hundred, what think you, they could accomplish? 

It is said in verse 4, chapter 5, that ‘‘there were 
giants in the earth in those days when the sons of God! 
came in unto the daughters of men, they bare them 
children, and the same became mighty men which were 
of old, men of renown. 

For what were they renowned? What and where 
is the record? We can easily reconstruct the record, 
by virtue of the imagination for which we are distin- 
guished. Reason from cause to effect and you can have 
a correct portrait of those conditions. 

Suppose our men of renown, those who are construct- 
ing the policies of our generation and administering 
our affairs, could live to the limit of that age, in full 
possession of physical and mental faculties, for which 
they were distinguished, what, think you, would be 
world conditions? In my opinion we have nothing 
comparable to what they possessed and enjoyed. 

It is said they passed the time ‘‘eating and drinking, 
marrying and giving in marriage.’’ In other phrases, 
‘they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play,’’ 
and one of the forms of amusement in those distant 
ages was a trial of skill in the art of killing each other. 
In Second Samuel 2:14 Abner said to Joab, ‘‘Let the 
young men arise and play before us’’ and in a few 
minutes they were all killed with the sword. 

In the sport of ‘‘marrying and giving in marriage’”’ 
they were past masters and mistresses. They simply 
choose for themselves, and, in the taking possession, 
you can imagine that unlimited collusions would occur 
in which the life of a person would be the least in the 
equation. 

Then again in the prosecution of trade, commerce, 
manufacturing, the adjustment of the controversies of 


72 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





capital and labor, landlord and tenant, servant and 
master, there would be constant friction. These relate 
to domestic relations. 

When we come to international questions, of which 
they had evidently the same that have prevailed in our 
age, we may assuredly assume that their methods were 
identical with ours. There have been no material 
changes along that line since the most ancient of our 
histories were written. Human nature has not changed 
for the last 6,000 years, therefore, why should we ex- 
pect a difference in methods by the pre-diluvians? Just 
the same old devil. | 


The violence of which the earth was said to be full, © 


of course, was manifested in their wars. It could not 
be manifest to any grave extent otherwise than in wars. 
All friction now, in which we use violent methods of 
adjustment, ultimately lead to war. Our last most 
bloody war, the bloodiest of them all for a thousand 
years, grew out. of the rivalry in trade, and commerce, 
and political domination and leadership. Germany was 
ambitious for world control, and England and France 
were her only rivals, and our country was the subject 
of barter and trade m behalf of the Allies. If you 
doubt this broad statement, read the record of a body 
of ‘‘Resolutions’’ quoted from the Congressional Ree- 
ord and published in the chapter on ‘‘The Causes of 
Carnal War.”’ 

These wars were so destructive of life and property 
that a flood, such as that of record in Genesis 6, was 
the only thing that could express the vengeance of 
Heaven. ‘‘The ‘‘violence’’ of that period, for which 
the flood was God’s method of eradication, could not 
have been demonstrated in any other manner. Riot- 
ing, mob government, legal wars, domestic quarrels, 
which reaches the law courts in divorce cases, feuds, 
party conflicts between rival lords, which character- 
ized the feudal ages, fist-cuffs, such as our prize fight- 


4 
: 
: 





POST-DILUVIAN HISTORY 73 


ers stage, and all similar evidences of a want of a work- 
ing agreement between conflicting parties, could not 
exist without culminating in racial, national, interna- 
tional wars, and such wars in that age was the utter- 
most limit in the destruction of life. Wholesale mur- 
der was the purpose and achievement of their wars. 

These conclusions are warranted by the fact that 
our natures, lacking the grace of God, from the Cain 
stage, have been dominated by Satan and his dominat- 
ing passion is war, then and now. War was hell then 
and the same now and it resulted in the wiping into 
oblivion the whole human race then, saving the eight 
in the ark, and it will soon be followed now by some 
demonstration of the anger of Heaven, as complete as 
that of the flood. St. Peter reveals to us, in chapters 
3:6-7, the coming judgment as the result of the wick- 
edness of our wars and all other forms of violence. 
Look, listen. ‘‘Whereby the world that then was, be- 
ing overflowed with water, perished, but the heavens 
and the earth which are now, by the same word, are 
kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of 
judgment and perdition of ungodly men.’’ 








———= 


POST DILUVIAN HISTORY 


Having noted that, through the decay and destrue- 
tion of the moral and religious standards of the pre- 
diluvian age, which condition was described in the lan- 
guage of the Divine author as ‘‘great wickedness 
throughout the earth,’’ ‘‘the earth filled with vio- 
lence,’’ and ‘‘the imagination of their hearts only evil 
eontinually’’ which ended in the destruction of all life 
from off the whole earth, we pass to the succeeding 
age following the tragedy of the flood. 

We must not expect to find a perceptible change in 
the psychology of the posterity of Noah. While it was 
said of him that ‘‘I have seen the righteous before me 


74 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


in this generation,’’ verse 1, chapter 7, the primal ele- 
ment of sin was found in his own life, and that of his 
sons, and succeeding posterity. He, himself drank 
wine to excessive intoxication and his sons founded 
the nations which gravitated back to pre-diluvian econ- 
ditions within a generation. 

From Biblical history, affirmed by recognized clas- 
sical history, as approximately accurate, we trace the 
establishment of political conditions which bear all the 
marks of satanic leadership. 

The first political organization which emerged from 
the multitudinous units that grew up from the settle- 
ments of the sons of Noah, as they are set forth in 
chapter 10, Genesis, was the Assyrian. It reached the 
peak of earthly glory during the reign of Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the story of which we can read in Daniel 2:31. 
This achievement was the natural result of his suc¢ess- 
ful wars in which he brought the habitable earth under 
his autocratic rule. 

From thence a succeeding stage was reached by the 
successful wars of the Medes and Persians, under Cy- 
rus, which overthrew the Assyrian government and es- 
tablished the second monarehy, deseribed in Daniel 
2:32 as ‘‘the heart and arms of silver’’ and later, by 
a continuation of the same methods of war, the estab- 
lishment of the Grecian epoch under Alexander the 
Great, and’ later, that of the Romans under the Cae- 
sars, and later, in the overthrow of the Roman Empire 
in the 5th century A. D. 

During this period of approximately 1,800 years the 
whole habitable earth was one huge charnel house, 
filled with the dying and dead bodies of its billions of 
helpless people. Wars, famines, pestilences, the two 
latter the inevitable aftermath of wars, destroyed the 
peoples and devastated the countries as no other 
agency of Satan can do. If you will read the acered- 
ited histories of those countries, ‘‘Gibbons’ Rise and 





POST-DILUVIAN HISTORY 79 





Fall of the Roman Empire,’’ you will hear and see 
nothing but one continued story of wars. 

From thence down to the present era there has been 
no material change. Wars, battles, massacres, desola- 
tion, sacked cities, depopulated areas where millions 
perish over night, has been and is now the one cher- 
ished applauded game of the rulers of the nations. 

There has been no perceptible cessation of wars fur- 
ther than is necessary to recuperate financial and hu- 
man strength, for the past 1,400 years. 

After the destruction of the fighting strength of the 
nations in an ordinary war, a generation is required to 
bear and raise men to launch an army ready for an- 
other war. The late war slew and maimed over 30,000,- 
000 of the flower of the youths of the warring countries, 
and destroyed near $200,000,000,000 value of property. 

Besides this unspeakable havoc, it has destroyed 
30,000,000 of men, women, and children by pestilences 
and famines. 

During this period the imvasion of Europe by the 
Saracens, the international and religious wars between 
the Catholics and the Protestant nations, the Napoleon- 
ic wars, the wars resulting from the discovery of tne 
American continents, in the destruction of the resident 
Indian nations, and the wars which resulted in the es- 
tablishment of the American Republic, and the civil 
wars within the Republic, and the late wars, have held 
the world’s enraptured attention and has only been a 
continuation of the satanic policy which has ruled the 
world ever since the days of Cain, since his (Satan’s 
entrance into his kingdom which began at the fall of 
Adam and Eve. 

This cursory survey of the history of the nations 
serves to emphasize the point which is intended to be 
impressed on our hearts, that all wars are destructive 
and not constructive, that they further exemplify, in 
their psychology, the nature and attributes of Satan, 


76 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





that they are radically antipodes to the psychology of 
our Lord and to His doctrines. 

But it is a needful part of this purpose to emphasize 
the fact that the religious organizations which have 
prevailed throughout the world and held the attention 
and favor of the nations, the pagan, the Mohammedan, 
the Greek and Roman Catholic, the Protestant, save a 
few of scarcely discernible dimensions in membership, 
have uniformly co-operated with their rulers through- 
out the whole period. 

This is especially applicable to the Protestant organ- 


ization that now holds the religious stage in nearly 


one half of the world’s area, in population and domain. 


They have, with the most glaring inconsisteney, spon- | 


sored and approved every movement of the nations in 
which they have their habitation, however far it may 
be from the specific teaching of our Lord and Master, 
whether it be chattel slavery, in all its demoniacal 
forms, or Feudalism, in which the worst forms of op- 
pression of the masses by the classes was perpetuated, 
autocratic, oligarchic, or in whatever form the peoples 
of the world were down trodden, the leaders of these 
organizations gave every aid and comfort that degen- 
erate human creatures could devise. 

In the religious wars of the Mediaeval age it was the 
priest and the chaplain who inspired the soldier to do 
his uttermost in the work of killing his brethren, and 
in the war between the States of the American Repub- 
lic it was the chaplains of the North and South who 
proclaimed the alleged holiness of the cause which each 
section represented, and the German chaplains and the 
English, French, and American chaplains, each assured 
the favor and blessing of God on his people and the 
Divine curse on his alleged enemies. Each added the 
testimony of the doctrine of the immaculate Lamb of 
God in support of the cause of his nation. 

We, who, with no apreciable dissent among our de- 


POST-DILUVIAN HISTORY we 





nominational membership, though of the smallest fol- 
lowing, scarcely discernible among the multiplied mil- 
lions who applaud the military profession, are con- 
fronted with the sole task of witnessing for the inspired 
doctrine of peace and good will, in our literature and 
pulpits and our lives. 

Even among celebrities of the military caste there 
has come to the waiting ear of a hungry world, hungry 
for peace and love, the wailing cry of protest against 
carnal war. General Sherman’s famous invulnerable 
alignment of war with the devil, when he said, ‘‘war is 
hell,’’ and the challenge of General Bliss to the 
churches in behalf of world peace, in which he stated 
with inspired emphasis, that ‘‘if they do not align 
themselves in its support the blood of the slain on fu- 
ture battle fields will be on their souls,’’ should awak- 
en them to the awful responsibility of their divine mis- 
sion and the adverse judgment of God if they refuse 
or refrain from a consolidated movement to end war, 
and attest a pacific policy. 

It is a fearful, tragic indictment of the professedly 
ordained spokesmen of an immaculate Savior, by pro- 
fessional militarists, the spokesmen who have entwined 
the pure white flag of peace and love, with the blood 
red flag of the pagan god of Mars, a rebuke that should 
make the most hardened shudder with fright and 
shame, fright, because of the awful judgment that 
awaits them, and shame, that they have thus shown 
their intention to betray the cause of the World’s Re- 
deemer, and bring their impotent curse on those who 
are faithful to the fundamental doctrine of love and 
peace. 

There are a few exceptions to this indictment, that 
is, a few who are and have been immune from the 
satanic inspiration of alignment with militarists. 

Our views are conclusive that since the first blood 
that was shed in war, that of the Cain performance, 


78 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


(A miniature war in full conformity to all wars in the 
spirit that launched it) all through the pre and post- 
diluvian ages, embracing near 6,000 years, this poor 
world has suffered and bled beyond the limits of our 
imagination from continuous and increasingly savage 
wars, wars more destructive to human life than those 
waged by the carniverous beasts of the jungle. The 
former are fought to satiate the satanic thirst for mur- 
der and blood, the latter for the simple gratification of 
the appetite for food. 

If we can accomplish results which will tend to open 


the eyes and hearts of our war hungry fellow ecrea- - 


tures, and check or stop the flood tide of destruction 
among the nations, we will have ample reward for our 


labor, but if we fail, we have absolute assurance that. 
our Father ‘‘who art in Heaven’’ will absolve us from — 


all blame. We have seen the sword coming on the 
world and have, herein, sounded the trumpet of warn- 
ing, and if they will not heed, their blood will be re- 
quired at their own hands. 








THE MILLENNIAL STAGE 


It will, doubtless, be interesting to our readers to 
have a glimpse of conditions that will prevail through- 
out the earth during the 1,000 year regime, which is 
spoken of in Revelation 20:2, the Millennium. The be- 
ginning of that era will be marked by the binding of 
Satan with the ‘‘great chain’’ and his imprisonment in 
the bottomless pit. He will be held there for 1,000 
years, that ‘‘he should deceive the nations no more ’till 
the thousand years be fulfilled.’’ 

A special feature of that era will be the resurrec- 
tion of those ‘‘who were beheaded for the witness of 
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not 
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had 
received his mark upon their foreheads, nor in their 


THE MILLENNIAL STAGE 79 


hands, and who will live and reign with Christ a thou- 
sand years.’’ This event is spoken of in Revelation, 
verse 6, chapter 20, the first resurrection. 

It is also marked by the second coming of our Lord, 
that to which the angels referred when they addressed 
the 500 Gallileans who witnessed His ascension, forty 
(40) days after His resurrection. Note their declara- 
tion spoken of in Acts 1:11. ‘‘Ye men of Galilee, why 
stand ye gazing up into the Heavens, this same Jesus 
which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come, 
in like manner, as ye have seen Him go into Heaven.’’ 
Satan will be bound in the pit, absolutely out of con- 
tact, personally or spiritually, with the peoples of the 
world, as he is now, and our Lord and Savior will be 
established on the throne of the world, the sovereign 
of all the nations; and the saints, who are now in their 
graves, that is, their fleshly bodies, (the souls of whom 
are now with our Lord) will be our Lord’s officials in 
the matters of government. ‘‘They shall live and reign 
with him during the 1,000 years.”’ 

Paradisiacal conditions will then prevail through- 
out the earth. Before the Adamic fall the eating of 
flesh was forbidden. Note this feature as recorded in 
Genesis 1:29-30. ‘‘And God said behold I have given 
you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face 
of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of 
a tree bearing seed; to you it shall be meat. And to 
every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air, 
and to everything that creepeth on the earth, wherein 
is life, I have given every green herb for meat.’’ There 
‘was manifestly no provision for the eating of flesh, 
either for men or animals. The carniverous tastes, the 
taste for blood, was absolutely void during that period. 

This was changed after the beginning of Satan’s do- 
minion. Note the record in Genesis 9:3, ‘‘Every mov- 
ing thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the 
green herb have I given you all things.’’ Since that 


80 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





period all animate life has been subjected to the 
changed conditions, whether in the air, or on the earth, 
or in the sea. » With many species of animals the flesh 
of other animals is the only food, and the same with 
different species of birds, Eagles, Hawks, Owls, Peli- 
cans, and numberless others, and the same with the 
fishes of the seas; the large fish eat the small fish. 

The same conditions, in a measure, prevailed among 
certain nations, the cannibals, for instance, who sub- 
sisted largely on human flesh. This human, or rather 
inhuman, trait is manifested in other phases of dietary 
habits. In industrial conditions, the sacrifice of hu- 
man blood for gain is tragically prevalent. The lives 
of men, women and children are sacrificed by the mil- 
lion over the earth, that riches may be heaped up. This — 
is only another phase of the carniverous taste. 

The passion for the destruction of life will be 
suspended among animate nature, in all of its varia- 
tions. Let us note specific statement corroborative 
thereof, in Isaiah 11:6-7-8. ‘‘The wolf shall dwell with 
the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, 
and the calf and the young lion and the fatling togeth- 
er and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and 
the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down to- 
gether and the lion shall. eat straw like the ox. A 
sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the 
weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s 
den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy 
mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge 
of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’’ 

In this story we have a comprehensive picture of the 
pacific state of animal nature, the human inclusive, 
throughout the earth. And we have a graphie deserip- 
tion of this stage in Isaiah 35. Note it with joy and 
gladness. ‘‘The wilderness shall be glad for them, and 
the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall 
blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and 


THE MILLENNIAL STAGE Sti 


singing. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, 
and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then shall 
the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the 
dumb sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break 
forth, and’ streams in the desert. And the parched 
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land 
springs of water; in the habitation of dragons shall be 
be grass with reeds and rushes. And a highway shall 
be there, and a way, and it shall be called a way of 
holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it; but it 
shall be for those; the wayfaring man though fools, 
shall not err therein.’’ ‘‘And the ransomed of the 
Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and 
everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy 
and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’’ 


There will be no wars to destroy men’s lives, wars to 
desolate homes and impoverish the nations, because 
Satan, the arch deceiver, who foments all the wars, 
will be in the bottomless pit, and peace and love will 
reign and rule in the hearts and lives of the peoples of 
the world. 


Sin, that now overwhelms the human race, will be 
practically nil. Death is the penalty of sin. We sin 
against God by disobeying His commandments, against 
our fellow creatures by oppression, and against our 
own bodies by violation of physical and moral Iaws. 
We sin because the tempter has unrestricted control 
over our fleshly bodies. When he is absent these in- 
fluences cease and we are therefore, immune from its re- 
sults and death is measurably eliminated. I do not 
think that it would ever have prevailed in the earth 
had not our primeval ancestors broken the first com- 
mandment. Note the penalty of that sin. ‘‘In the day 
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,’’ that is, as I 
interpret it, the penalty of death, physically, was fixed 
from that date. Death, physically, is the result of sin, 


82 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





therefore if they had not eaten the forbidden fruit, 
there would have been no death. 

During the thousand years, paradisiacal conditions 
will prevail throughout the earth. When God pro- 
nounced the curse on Adam, because he had! eaten the 
forbidden fruit, the ground was cursed and it brought 
forth ‘‘thorns and thistles.’’ 

During the millennium stage thorns and thistles and 
noxious weeds and pestiferous insects, such as potato 
bugs, cabbage worms, tobacco worms, boll weevil, and 
all pests that now handicap agriculture, horticulture, 
and all the interests and’ activities of the people, will - 
disappear. There will be no deserts, no marshes, no 
floods, no fires, no storms of hail and lightning, no epi- 
demics, no noxious diseases. There will be no immor- 
alities, no dishonesty in business, no intrigue in gov-- 
ernment, no infidelity in the homes, no lying and theft, 
and no profanity, no selfishness, no unemployment, no 
monopoly in business, no millionaires, no billionaires, no 
paupers, no loafers, no bums, no tattlers and busy- 
bodies in other people’s business, no private ownership 
of property, no aristocracy, no autocracy, no slaves, no 
polygamists. These features of present conditions are 
all satanic. 

We have a joyous revelation in Isaiah 65:17. Read it 
thoughtfully. ‘‘Behold I create a new heaven and a 
new earth and the former shall not be remembered and 
the voice of weeping shall be heard no more. And 
there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an 
old man that has not filled his days.’’ 

‘“They shall build houses and inhabit them and they 
shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They 
shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not 
plant, and another eat. They shall not labor in vain 
nor bring forth for trouble. And it shall come to pass 
that before they call, I will answer, and while they are 
yet speaking I will hear. They shall not hurt nor de- 


THE MILLENNIAL STAGE 83 


stroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord.’’ They 
will have all things common. Whenever and wherever 
the spirit of the Father and the Son absolutely dom- 
inate, communism will prevail. 

This explicit prophecy gives a faint glimpse of the 
infinite charm and glory of that period, for the early 
advant of which we should fervently pray, 

Let us call attention to another feature. At the time 
of His coming, the first resurrection will be staged. 
Those who will share that glory will be the men and 
women of this stage, who have believed in and obeyed 
their Lord and Master during the dispensation of the 
Gospel, from the beginning of His ministry to His sec- 
ond advent. 

They will be of, and among, the peoples of the earth 
during the thousand years, but in a spiritual form, the 
form that our Lord assumed after His resurrection. 
They will have the faculty of transmission from place 
to place independent of physical hindrance, just as our 
Lord had when he ascended to Heaven, just as Elijah 
and Enoch had when they went up into Heaven, just 
as Philip had when ‘‘the spirit caught him away, after 
the baptism of the Eunuch, and he was found at 
Azotus.’’ 

They will be a factor in the government of the world 
during that period. In Revelation 20:4, it is noted that 
‘‘they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand 
years. We know little of the features of that admin- 
istration save that love and peace will dominate every 
department, and joy and gladness will fill every heart 
and bless every life, just the antipode of conditions as 
they prevail in the world now, just as they would have 
prevailed throughout the generations since the crea- 
tion, had not Adam disobeyed God, and had the clergy 
preached Peace by Jesus Christ. 

Our readers need not be told that we have but a 
dim vision of conditions during that period. Seeming- 


84 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


ly the phenomena of death will not disappear, nor sin 
be eliminated. In Isaiah 65:20 it is said that ‘‘the 
child shall die a hundred years old, and a sinner, being 
a hundred years old, shall be aceursed.’’ All the de- 
tails of that stage are, in a large measure, hidden from 
us, just as many of the features of the plan of salva- 
tion were hidden from the apostles while Christ was 
with them, because they could not hear them. 

The close of that dispensation marks a feature in- 
finitely tragic. When Satan is loosed out of the prison, 
he will go out to deceive the nations, just as he is dong 
now, and will gather them together and will lead 
them through his human servants, wicked rulers, 
against the camp of the saints and the holy city and 
the last great battle, the Armageddon of Bible history, 
will result in ‘‘fire coming down out of heaven and 
devouring them,’’ and the finale, the casting of the 
devil into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tor- 
mented forever. Amen. 


_———— 


THE CAUSES OF CARNAL WARS 


The most specific statement of which we have defi- 
nite record in the New Testament, on the subject of the 
causes of carnal war, is found in St. James general 
epistle, 4:1, as follows, to wit: ‘‘From whence come 
wars and fighting among you, come they not henee, 
even of your lusts which war in your members?”’ 

It will be of special interest first to identify the per- 
sonality of the author of the letter, of which the above 
excerpt is a part. 

Among the diseiples of our Lord, when He was 
launching His first mission in this world, there were 
four of the name of ‘‘James,’’ one, the son of Zebedee, 
Mark 1:19, one, the son of Alphaeus, Mark 3:18, one, 
James the Less, Mark 15:40, and James, the brother 
of our Lord. Gal. 1:19. 


aD, * 


CAUSES OF CARNAL WARS 85 


Presumably, the latter is the author of the letter 
from which we copy the quotation. It is thus gener- 
ally accepted by seriptural expositors, and we will as- 
sume that he and the ‘‘James’’ to which reference is 
made in Acts 15:13 are one and the same person. If 
that be accepted as conclusive, we note that he was the 
recognized leader and spokesman of the Apostles 
whose headquarters were at Jerusalem. 

This establishes the high character of the author of 
the letter to which reference has been made, if such a 
distinction be needed. Yet, we will say, it is not vitally 
needful that the identity of his personality should be 
immutably established, except to meet an emergency 
voiced by eritics. For their sakes we will try and close 
every avenue to the denial of fundamental facts. 

Therefore, being the brother of our Lord, both in the 
flesh and! in the spirit, he could be pre-eminently fitted 
to comprehend and expound the doctrines which are 
the basis of our hopes of salvation. The psychology of 
his immaculate brother, as it was in evidence in their 
home, as they were passing through the childhood, boy- 
hood, early manhood stages could not, in their playful, 
domestic, and industrial period, when they were sub- 
ject to the family discipline, fail to impress the Spirit 
by which He was inspired, far beyond and above that 
of the common mass. 

In the beginning of the epistle he addresses ‘‘the 
twelve tribes of Israel seattered abroad,’’ and he ae- 
elaims himself ‘‘a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus 
Christ.”’ 

There could be no higher assumption than that, and 
no warrant is admissible for sane eriticism, and the 
fatuous quibbler will receive no consideration, because 
he deserves none. 

We will first note the exact terms of his indictment 
of the causes of carnal war, ‘‘from our lusts which war 
in our members.’’ | 


86 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


What are the ‘‘lusts’’ to which he refers? Lust is 
defined as ‘‘sarnal appetite,’’ and ‘‘to desire eagerly or 
improperly.’’ (v. 1). There are several specifications 
of these attributes which are in evidence in the prose- 
cution of human activities and ambitions, of which we 
wil] particularize, as riches, personal glory, national 
honor and glory, territorial monopoly, industrial and 
economic monopoly, and sexual immoralities. 

An impartial, non-partisan survey of the history of 
the world wars, the causes that inspired them, and the 


resultant effects will not fail to justify the trenchant 


indictment of the eminent Apostle. 

To one who will receive definite statements without 
quibble, no such survey, no additional attestation, or 
evidence is desired. Such an attitude would be re- 
garded as an act of disloyalty to the Holy Ghost. To — 
question or dispute the infallibility of the work of that 
Personage would be equivalent to denying our Lord 
Himself, and such denial bars all hope for salvation. 

But we are fully justified and prepared to augment 
the testimony in supoprt of the characterization of the 
psychology of war, by an appeal to ancient and modern 
history, a few facts of which are herein appended. 

Beginning at the dawn of the most ancient and ered- 
ible epochs of this world, as it is collated in the book 
of Daniel and specialized in classic, ancient history, we 
note one, and possibly only one paramount passion that 
fashioned the destiny of the nations of the world, that 
of world dominion, political, economic, industrial, and 
religious. 

The first, that of the Assyrian, of which Babylon was 
the capital, dominated the nations from the time of 
Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah, its founder, to 
the date of its destruction by Cyrus the Persian, a per- 
iod of approximately 1,500 years. The period of the 
Persian domination from the destruction of Babylon to 
its overthrow by the Greeks, under the leadership of 





CAUSES OF CARNAL WARS 87 


Alexander the Great, was about 200 years. From that 
period to the assumption of universal dominion by the 
Romans, 200 years later, and from thence to the end 
of the Roman dominion about the year 600 A. D., em- 
bracing a period of 1,000 years completed the prophecy 
of Daniel, a record of which we find in his book in 
chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11. 

A survey of the conditions of the nations during 
this period of approximately 2,500 years, shows con- 
clusively that wars, for conquest, for robbery, for per- 
sonal and national glory, for riches, for universal do- 
minion, were all waged under direct satanic leadership, 
as cruel, as barbarous, as inhuman, as relentless, as vin- 
dictive, as destructive of human life, beyond the re- 
motest gleam of the imagination to conjure or under- 
stand. There was seemingly no intermission of the 
tragedy of despair and death. The peoples were band- 
ied about like pawns in games of chance, like so many 
atoms in a house of cards, bartered for the elements of 
a drunken brawl, tortured, slain, to make a_ holiday, 
and for occasion to laughter, at the shrieks of the dy- 
ing, and for jollity, at the spectral visage of the dead. 

Every thought and suggestion and image of the in- 
dictment of the Apostle James has warrant and justi- 
fication in the lucid records of that stage of the world’s 
history. 

It may be expected by the readers of these general- 
ized sketches that specific historic evidences of the 
truth of the Apostolic allegations be produced. 

There are only vague and untrustworthy statements 
embodied in the records of the ancient nations concern- 
ing their national policies and methods of administra- 
tion, but enough is written to give us, approximately, 
definite understanding of which we are in search. 

The purposes which animated their ambition were 
universally that of absolute monopoly of political con- 
trol of the nations. 


88 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


The Assyrians subjugated the nations by methods in 
perfect conformity to the psychology of war; whole- 
sale robbery, massacres, myriad murders, to the utter- 


most limit of satanic savagery. The effects of the 


plundered countries built and enriched the city of 
Babylon, the grandeur of which, has been without a 
rival, and, in consequence, its descent to the uttermost 
chasm of the deepest moral depravity, has given, 
through revelation and prophecy; a symbol of the com- 
plete triumph and of subsequent punishment our abso- 


lute subservience to Satan, and abandonment of all - 


ethical standards, and consequent judgment of God, as 
stated, with poignant directness, in Revelations 18. 
The second period, staged by the triumphant Medes 


and Persians was only a duplication of the former. 


Wars for conquest, for riches, for the morbid thirst 
for human blood, for worldly honor and glory, exhib- 
ited the same moral characteristics, the same loyalty 
to Satan, the prince of militarism. 

Nations were destroyed, countries devastated, uni- 
versal wickedness in high places rampant, the qualities 
of merey and justice strained and ignored, and every 
impulse subordinated to the development of passion as 
inhuman and malignant, as perverted human nature 
could devise, to the uttermost of Satanie inspiration. 

This stage was sueceeded by the overthrow of the 
Persian regime, by the Grecians, under Alexander the 
Great. 

His military campaigns had but one purpose, that of 
conquest, of destruction of rival countries, the enrich- 
ment of his country and people, of absolute enthrone- 
ment over the nations of the world. His methods were 
of the primeval type, absolute disregard of all moral 
precepts, of Justice, of merey, of humanity. The wateh- 
word was death to all antagonists, and the slogan was, 
the glory of the army and its matchless leader. So 
complete was his mastery of the world, and so ravish- 


CAUSES OF CARNAL WARS 89 


ing was his consuming passion for dominion that it is 
affirmed ‘‘he wept because there were no other worlds 
to conquer.’’ This stage closed as also did the others, 
in a beastly, drunken brawl, and consequent death of 
the empire built on the blood of murdered millions. 

The advent of the last performance, that of the 
Romans, followed the downfall of the Grecian, and it 
filled the measure of the preceding stages to the limit 
of the possibilities and opportunities. The history of 
its rise and its achievements, along the well beaten 
track of its predecessors, 1s but a repetition of the old 
story. In no material aspect does it differentiate there- 
from. Its founder, Romulus, was the son of a prosti- 
tute and was cast in the jungle to perish. He was 
nursed by a she wolf and was the murderer of his twin 
brother Remus. The virus of his libertine mother and 
the ferocity of the ravenous beast which nursed him, 
was in his veins and in his heart. He began his admin- 
istration by robbery and murder, by the invasion and 
conquest of adjoining tribes and nations, and each suc- 
ceeding administration possessed the same tactics, until 
the conquest of the earth was practically accomplished, 
and the Roman spirit, which, was the spirit of Satan, 
was supreme. The remnant of the Asiatic and African 
nations and the barbarian nations of Hurope were in 
tetal subjection till the period of its downfall about 
the year 600 A. D. 

This condition was followed by the invasion of 
Kurope by the Saracens, the upheaval of, and, recon- 
struction of the petty nations of Europe, during the 
mediaeval stage, and the sueceeding stages of the or- 
ganization of those nations into the monarchies and 
republics of the present stage. 

During the 1,000 years which witnessed these con- 
vulsions, the wars that raged throughout the Orient 
and Europe, the wars of the Catholic and Protestant 
rival countries, and political and trade wars, the same 


90 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


=, 


characteristics prevailed, wholesale murder, sexual lust, 
lust for power, for wealth, and for everything that ap- 
peals to a perverted satan-convulsed heart, was abso- 
lutely dominant everywhere and all the time. No hu- 
man language, no live, fertile imagination, no inspira- 
tion except that of God can convey to our minds and 
hearts the tragic picture. 

For hundreds of years England and France were in 
continuous war, solely for political and economic su- 
premacy. For a score of years France deluged the 
world in the blood of the most satanic wars, under the 
leadership of Napoleon, who, at one stage of his con- 
quest, in which millions of the flower of the peoples of 
the world were murdered on the battle field, said 
‘‘What is the life of a peasant worth, in comparison to 
the glory of France?’’ He subdued kingdoms and en- 
throned his brothers, in his passion for family glory. 

During this period, embracing hundreds of years, 
Spain sent her armies into the Western world, but late- 
ly discovered, and ruthlessly slaughtered the inhabt- 
tants and carried their wealth back to enrich the 
grandees whose rule was without mercy or justice. 

The consuming ambition for a monopoly of the riches 
of the world, for military glory, for unchallenged do- 
minion in the politics and trade of the nations, is a 
matter of common knowledge, of. comparatively recent 
occurrence. 

Their barbarities, the savagery of their military 
methods, the utter obliviousness of the sanctity of 
human life, the defiance of the sovereignty of the God 
of Heaven, the blasphemous deification of their political 
magnates, and every other manifestation of moral tur- 
pitude, was in evidence in every word and act, from 
the highest in the state to the lowest. We should not 
be required to particularize further to establish the 
contention that ‘‘wars from our lusts.’’ To those 
who have proper regard for logical conclusions and for 


CAUSES OF CARNAL WARS 91 





unchallenged testimony, the lust is established beyond 
the possibility of honest refutation. But we will con- 
tinue the survey. | 

Taking up the continuous chain of history from the 
downfall of the Roman empire and the consequent 
breaking into petty fragments of the incongruous polit- 
ical and racial elements, we are face to face with con- 
ditions not unlike those which dominated the world 
during the earlier ages. 

This period is forecast by the prophet Daniel in the 
delineation of the fifth stage of the ‘‘great image’’ 
when the stone that was eut out without hands and 
smote the image upon his feet that was of iron and clay. 

For unrestricted dominion over the North American 
continent the English nation robbed the Indians and 
French of their possessions, which had come to them 
by inheritance and purchase; by the most brutal of war 
methods. Our own government pursued the same tac- 
ties in their dealing with the Indian owners of this 
country. 

Later, the war of our country with Mexico was one 
for territorial aggrandizement, which culminated in the 
acquisition of nearly one-half of their territory. 

The so-called ‘‘ civil’? war was fought for the purpose 
on the part of the Southern states, to break up the 
union of the states for the protection of the institution 
of African slavery, and, on the part of the North, for 
the preservation of the federal union and the liberating 
of the slaves of the South. 

The last great war was fought for the monopoly of 
the world’s trade and for political supremacy on the 
part of both belligerents. The seeds of the war were 
sown during the preceding centuries. In evidence 
thereof, under an ancient premiership of France, Prus- 
sia was robbed of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 
In the war of 1870, between the two nations, those prov- 
inees were returned to German dominion. In the late 


$2 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





world war the ownership of those provinces have been 
returned to France. Thus the destinities of the nations 
are decided by the universal appeal to embattled 
armies, and its ebbs and flows, like a whirligig, changes 
national and racial alignments like the changing color 
of the historic Chameleon. 

Our leading purpose in this comprehensive survey is 
to sustain the affirmation that there can be no logical 
disputes as to the absolute correctness of the statement 
of the Apostle James. 

The interpretation of the psychological feature of the 
World war, is the last and most significant of all such 
events, since the world began, as it relates to the peo- 
ple and government of the United States. What were 
the impelling motives that caused our entrance into it? 
The official answer is to ‘‘make the world safe for de- 
mocracy’’ and for the sake of humanity’’ and to make 
it impossible for the German nation to invade our coun- 
try,’’ and a few other minor reasons. These reasons 
seemingly appealed to the masses of reputed Christians 
and they set at nought the testimony of St. James. 

The foregoing survey of the animating purposes of 
the wars of the world is sufficiently definite and con- 
clusive to sustain the inspired charge of the Apostle. To 
the sincere believer in the inspiration of the Apostle, 
additional testimony is not needed, but we are glad 
that the wars of the world furnish their own proof as 
to their parentage, and amply corroborate the divine 
statement. 

But, it is alleged with seeming appropriateness, that 
wars for defense are not affected by the apostolie in- 
dictment. In the first place, in answer to this plea, we 
will notice that none but an omnipotent God can inter- 
pret the motives of the human heart and soul. He, 
alone, knows the seeret springs, which produce our aec- 
tivities. It is not difficult for intriguing rulers to con- 
eeal their motives from the common people but they are 


TRAGEDIES OF CARNAL WAR 93 





not hidden from God. In a practical sense all wars 
are defensive, on the part of each of the belligerents. 
The possibilities of aggression are always apparent, and 
the nation that makes the initial move can be justified 
by the plea of self defense. 

An example may be adduced from the last war which 
logically authorizes this statement. England, for gen- 
erations has dominated the high seas and she has a 
national hymn that proclaims her mastery of the world 
to wit, ‘‘Rule Brittania.’’ Germany was steadily en- 
eroaching with her scheme for world dominion, and, 
had she been successful in her invasion and subjugation 
of France, she would have obtained advantages which 
would have definitely stopped England’s aspiration for 
the monopoly of the political and economic and indus- 
trial world. It was simply a war for the mastery of 
world dominion as all other wars had been. 

This concludes our purpose to show from unchal- 
lenged history, ancient and modern, that the psychol- 
ogy of war has always been identical with Satan and 
always defiant of the counsels of Heaven, and always 
resultant in the destruction, ultimately, of all the bel- 
ligerents, and absolutely corroborative of the fateful 
charge of the inspired Apostle. 

The following syllogism embodies the sum of every 
argument and testimony which relates to the subject: 

All wars come from our lusts, 
But our lusts come from Satan. 
Therefore wars come from Satan. 








ee 


THE TRAGEDIES OF CARNAL WAR 


It would be impossible, with the imperfect vocabu- 
lary that we have, to present to our readers a true, 
complete picture of carnal war, as it is displayed on 
the battle field, the bitterness, the hate, the cursing, the 
frenzy, tke killing, the wounding, the dying, the dead. 


94 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





The writers of the histories of wars and battles never 
present that fcature of the awful thing. Histories are 
written to glorify the spirit of war, and its victors, and 
assumed heroes. The glare, and fame, and glamor, the 
shouting, the fife and drum, the orations, the gilded 
trapping and ornaments, and all such flippery, hide the 
heads and hoofs and horns of the venemous beast. They 
conceal from the public eye and ear and heart, its un- 
speakable horrors. 

It is our purpose, in this chapter, to give to its read- 
ers a glimpse of the tragedies of war, in culling from 
authentic history, descriptions of a few of its perform- 
ances, 

This is done, not to emphasize the incompatibility of 
war and Christianity, but to show its complete demon- 
stration of the characteristics of the arch devil. Every 
phase of war, each and all of them, are simply delinea- 
tions of the various psychological elements of his na- 
ture, and each and all are so accurate in their faithful- 
ness to that function, that no person, except the wil- 
fully blind, can misunderstand it. 

Passing by the pre-diluvian period, which embraced 
nearly 2,000 years, during which time ‘‘violence filled 
the earth’’ and when ‘‘the imagination of the hearts 
of the people were only evil continually,’’ and passing, 
without consideration, the wars that deluged the coun- 
tries of the earth during that time, wars: which is the 
highest demonstration of the ‘‘violenee which filled the 
earth,’’ wars which are the supreme, absolute evidence 
of satanic leadership and inspiration, without a paral- 
lel in the whole category of satanic accomplishments, 
we begin our task from the records of early post-diluv- 
ian wars. There is but one characteristic of carnal war 
and that is destruction. This feature occupied the 
world’s stage from the founding of Babylon, in the 
year 115 after the flood, through the centuries, during 
which the domination of the earth was controlled by 


TRAGEDIES OF CARNAL WARS 95 


the Assyrians, the Medes and Persians, the Grecians 
and the Romans, embracing a period of 2,500 years. 

During the first two thousand years the areas con- 
cerned were in Asia and Africa, and those countries 
were in continuous broils, without cessation. For con- 
firmation of this broad statement read Rollins Ancient 
History, a classic of unchallenged reliability. There 
was but one vocation that occupied the attention of the 
rulers, and that was carnal war. There was but one 
autocratic ruler and his decrees were absolute. The 
people were serfs, and slaves, peasants, mechanics, 
tradesmen and merchants, but all were under the most 
unmitigated despotism, and but one policy controlled 
the energies and resources of the subject peoples and 
their rulers and that was war. 

At the close of this period the countries affected 
were desolate, their cities were buried in ruins, and the 
populations were reduced to practical beggary, and in 
many countries they were destroyed. 

The Roman regime began about the year 700 B. C. 
and continued to dominate the nations of the world, 
now including the pagan barbarians of Europe, the 
Franks, Goths, Huns, and the numerous smaller groups 
till the sixth century A. D. 

Their method of conquest and government and ad- 
ministration was, in all essential particulars, a dupli- 
cate of the former. Their wars were fought for riches, 
for political dominion, for monopoly of all the essen- 
tials of life, and they were fought with the same indif- 
ference and contempt for human life as did the former 
governmental monsters. 

Devastated countries, ruined cities, depopulated 
areas, enslaved peoples, everything that could intensify 
misery without cessation or palliation, marked the pro- 
gress of the administration till her downfall, as a dom- 
inant world power at the dawn of the sixth century. 
Since that date we have been passing through the per- 


96 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


iod of the prophecy of the feet and toes of the great 
image and we find conditions in exact resemblance to 
all the former stages. The nations have been at war 
with each other, with only surcease adequate to prepare 
for continuous wars, and the weapons and methods of 
battle are more deadly than they have been at any for- 
mer stage. 

There is seemingly no desire or purpose on the part 
of the rulers of the nation to end wars, or to make their 
prosecutions less deadly. The last world war was the 
most intensely, remorsely savage of any former war, 
even between the most savage of all the pagan nations. ~ 

Let us survey the historic records of the wars of this 
stage, which began at the fall of the Roman empire, in 
the sixth century and which the prophet Daniel refers 
to in the second chapter of his book. 

Since that period the countries which were formerly 
under the dominion of our autocratic ruler are now 
disintegrated and each is striving for mastership and 
all are pursuing the same methods that prevailed dur- 
ing the former stages, and the same satanic spirit of 
carnal war governs the general policies, and war, either 
in preparation or prosecution, is the only method by 
which the nations choose to accomplish their ambitions. 

During the mediaeval period, the countries were 
owned and ruled by a multitude of lords, whose only 
law was their untrammeled will, and, at whose behest, 
the masses toiled on their estates and fought their wars 
for the simple reward of daily sustenance. These rival 
lords were always at war with each other, and the most 
ruthless methods prevailed. Later, these groups are 
organized into nations, small and great, and this state 
prevails throughout the earth today, and the spirit of 
carnal war is just as rampant, yea many fold more so, 
than at any former period, and the methods of warfare 
are more consistent with the satanic nature than at any 
former stage. Having brought this survey down to 


TRAGEDIES OF CARNAL WARS 97 


our day it may be interesting to our readers to have a 
few flashes of light thrown over the battle fields, that 
we may get a faint idea of what war is to those who 
fight its battles. This feature is withheld from publie 
view by the historian for reasons suggested by those 
whose vocation and profit are in their prosecution. 

Beginning at a critical period in Jewish history in 
one battle between the armies of Judah and _ Israel, 
500,000 soldiers were killed. In the siege and destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem by the Roman legions, under the Em- 
peror Titus, nearly 3,000,000 men, women, and children 
perished. In the religious wars of Europe between the 
Lutherans and the Catholics, which continued for over 
100 years, with slight recesses intervening, one-third of 
the population was killed on the battle fields or in the 
sack and massacres of the cities. In the city of Mag- 
deburg, Prussia, which was captured by the Austrian 
General Count Gilby, 20,000 of the civilian inhabitants 
were massacred in three days. 

In the wars waged by the European nations in the 
conquest of the American continents the entire tribal 
peoples, the Indians, were destroyed or driven into the 
swamps and mountains and deserts to perish. 

In the war between the American states, in the sixth 
decade of the last century, 700,000 of the flower of our 
manhood were slain on the battle field. And last and 
ereatest of them all, in the World War, 10,000,000 men 
were slain on the;battle fields, 20,000,000 were wounded 
and disabled for any civilian service, and 30,000,000 of 
civilians, aged men, helpless women and children, per- 
ished by pestilence and famine. 

The countries of Northern Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, 
Carthage, Phoenicia, and others of larger or lesser di- 
mension and influence, have practically become extinct, 
so far as their influence in world affairs are concerned, 
because of their wars with each other. . 

The Napoleonic wars of ten years’ duration at the 


98 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





close of the eighteenth century were as bloody and 
destructivc»as human depravity and malignity could 
perform and they were in exact correspondence with 
the inspired indictment, just satanic lust; that and 
nothing less. 

When the horrible orgy was finished he had  en- 
throned his brothers and marshals on the thrones of 
most of the European nations and won each and all at 
the point of his swords and guns. He emphasized his 
estimate of the value of human life in the historic ex- 
clamation, ‘‘ What is the life of a peasant worth in com- 
parison with the glory of France?’’ One episode char- 
acterizing the destructiveness of the lives of his soldiers 
was evidenced in his Russian invasion. He entered 
Russia with nearly a quarter million and only 50,006 
returned to France at the close of an unsuccessful cam- 
paign. 

It would simply be impossible to convey to our read- 
ers the faintest description of the horrors that the peo- 
ples of those countries suffered, soldiers and civilians 
alike, during those horrible years. 

It would seem to people of average moral perception 
and normal human feeling and sympathy for those who 
suffer from physical infirmities that the sportive, frolic- 
some element in unregenerate human hearts would be 
materially neutralized, but the spirit of war seems to 
deaden all sympathetic instincts. 

Exemplifying such a condition when the French 
armies occupied the city of Moscow at the time of the 
invasion, on an evening the army magnates staged what 
is termed a ball (it should be spelled b a w 1) in close 
proximity to a huge powder magazine. The city had 
been fired by the retreating Russians and the flames 
were speeding toward the drunken roisterers. In the 
frenzy of the orgy a giddy dancer waved his jeweled 
hand and shouted, ‘‘One more dance and defiance to 
the flames,’’ and the next moment the magazine ex- 


TRAGEDIES OF CARNAL WARS 99 


ploded and the debauches were hurled into eternity. 
So end all drunken revels. 

Late excavations in those countries have uncovered 
the wreckage of great cities which perished in their mil- 
lions of population. In the busy day of their glory, 
they wasted their resources of human energy and 
wealth, in continuous wars and universal ruin tells the 
tragic story. 

Babylon, the oldest, greatest, richest of them all, is 
now a vast impassible jungle and morass, impossible of 
entrance or survey, the unchallenged den of venomous 
serpents and ferocious beasts. Great cities throughout 
those countries have been buried under the earth for a 
thousand years and decadent populations occupy the 
wasted agricultural areas. Jerusalem is a cluster of 
huts In comparison to her ancient grandeur. The great 
city of Carthage, once the rival of the grandest, is now 
a cote for sheep and goats, and Tyre and Sidon, a ren- 
dezvous for fishermen to mend their nets. 

We are now passing through the last stage of the 
march of the peoples of the world. From the signs of 
the times, as they are foreshadowed by current history, 
the war of the prophetic Armageddon will soon be 
staged. The time of the end, according to authenticated 
prophecy, is now at the dawn and a war crazed world 
awaits its doom. ‘‘Watch for you know not at what 
hour the Son of Man cometh.’’ 

The recent seeming trend of the nations to limit 
naval and military equipment will not change psycho- 
logical conditions. The spirit of war dominated their 
hearts as it always has done and always will be till its 
master spirit is chained in the bottomless pit, and that 
event will not come till the return of our Lord to the 
earth. The ‘‘trend’’ toward retrenchment or limitation 
was not taken because of the satanic nature of war. It 
was not taken because it is a parody on the fundamen- 
tal doctrine of our Lord, of love and peace. The 


100 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





churehes, which are the ordained custodians of those 
doctrines, did not launch it. It was suggested and 
launched by politicians simply because of its prohibi- 
tory tax burdens, for simple humanitarian reasons, and 
its forecast of the future offers we hope that wars and 
rumors of wars will cease among the nations. 








atin 


SELF DEFENSE 


The arts and devices which militarists employ to jus- 
tify war are as various and multitudinous as the ingen- 
unity of a prolific brain and susceptible heart could 
suggest, and it is, in a measure, courteous for their 
opponents to give them due consideration. It would 


seem however, absolutely superfiuous, if not offensive,. 


to our divine Lord, to meet an argument in behalf of 
carnal war with counter arguments. The divine teach- 
ing on the subject is so specific and definite and con- 
elusive, that it is incomprehensible why and how an ad- 
veeate of carnal war can honestly, sincerely, in meek- 
‘ness and faith, plead in its behalf, the words of our 
Lord. 

One might more consistently doubt the divinity of 
Christ, His virgin birth, His dual nature, human and 
divine. The inspired word is sufficiently definite on 
that subject but it is far beyond our normal capacity 
to comprehend it. St. Paul places it among the un- 
searchable mysteries in Ist Timothy 3:16, ‘‘God mani- 
fest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, believed on in 
the world, received up into glory.’’ This doctrine can 
only be accepted by faith. | 

But the seriptures which forbid carnal war are re- 
corded on practically every page in the blessed book, 
in the plainest phrase, so lucid’, so specific, so logical, 
so human, so pure, so rich, in its infinite sweetness, that 
no doubter will have a scintilla of warrant or excuse 


to plead when he meets the Judge at the last day. Like 


SELF DEFENSE 101 


the man without the wedding garment, spoken of in 
Matthew 22:11 who ‘‘was speechless’’ when the master 
of ceremonies asked him how ‘‘he came hither without 
the wedding garment,’’ or they will have nothing to 
say in justification of their acts. For the sake of the 
arguments and to meet the demand that we must ‘‘stop 
the mouths of the gainsayers’’ we will meet the issue 
in the spirit of the dear Master. 

As a last resort the advocates of carnal war justifies 
the killing of an enemy in ‘‘self defense.’’ There are 
wars purely for self defense if we accept the uninspired 
statements of its advocates. In order to clarify the sit- 
uation, and determine the question of the accuracy of 
their assumptions, let us put a few of the most conspic- 
uous events on the witness stand. } 

The Southern contestants in the Civil War fought in 
defense of the institution of slavery which was jeopar- 
dized in the election of Abraham Lincoln by the ene- 
mies of slavery, in 1861. The Northern contestants 
fought to preserve the union of the American States 
which was threatened by the secession of the states of 
the South. It was a war of defense on both sides. 

The war of the revolution in 1775-76 was fought by 
the Americans to defend their liberties, and, by the 
English, to defend the territorial integrity of the Brit- 
ish empire, a war of self defense on both sides. 

We need not particularize further concerning inter- 
national wars. Nations have formed combinations for 
aggressive and defensive war since the beginning of 
time and the spirit of war is as dominate in the weak- 
er as it is in the stronger nations. A weak defender 
of this generation is a strong aggressor of the next gen- 
eration. There is no difference in the psychology of 
either. They are both arrant, defiant nationalists, and 
absolutely ignore, yes, despise, with supreme contempt, 
the divinely spiritual elements of the situation. It is 
simply a case of, ‘‘I will,’’ or ‘‘I will not,’’ and they 


102 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





scout the suggestion that in the final adjustment of the 
controversies, the great God will be the umpire and 
give judgment against them. 

We will pass to another and more interesting phase 
of the question of self defense, that which pertains to 
the home. In this case we are face to face with all the 
elements which are involved and are personally at the 
threshold of its conerete features. 

Triumphantly, the advocates of militarism asks the 
pacifist what he would do if an enemy would threaten 
the honor or peace of his family, and he awaits an an- - 
swer with a cynical smile that betokens assurance of 
victory. 

First, we place the destinies of the family absolutely. 
under the promised protection of our heavenly Father, 
and then we promise absolute loyalty to the commands 
of His Son which we have in the New Testament. We 
constantly pray for grace and help for every emeyr- 
gency and then we await the events which are abso- 
lutely in the hands of our Heavenly Father. 

My beloved father was asked the question during the 
civil war ‘‘what he would do if an outlaw were to 
threaten the peace of his household.’’ He replied, ‘‘I 
will answer that question when the event comes.’’ An 
eminent clerical of the militaristic type said, ‘‘he al- 
ways slept with an automatic pistol under his pillow.’’ 
That was his answer to the same question. It is simply 
a test of our faith and trust in God nothing more and 
nothing less. | 

Let us note a few cases culled from authentic history 
which will justify the attitude of the lover of peace. A 
few hundred thousand Assyrian soldiers surrounded 
Jerusalem at a certain time and the king Hezekiah and 
the prophet Isaiah prayed to God for protection, and 
that night an angel slew one hundred and’ eighty-five 
thousand of them. 2 Kings 19:35. 

On another occasion an army of Syrians surrounded 


SELF DEFENSE 103 


the city of Dotham, on a certain night, expecting to 
capture the prophet Elisha on the morrow. When the 
morning came and the servant of the prophet saw the 
conditions he bewailed the fate of his master. Elisha 
prayed that God would open the servant’s eyes and he 
saw ‘‘the mountain was full of horses and chariots of 
fire round about Elisha.’’ 2 Kings 6:17. 

The records of God’s methods of dealing with those 
who trust Him are multitudinous and without varia- 
tion, so much so, that no person who possesses faith, 
even to the degree of a mustard seed, can have cause 
to doubt so much as a hair’s breadth. 

But, to doubt the promises of God is to take from be- 
neath us the only rock that will save the soul in the 
final stage of mortal existence, and to raise the ques- 
tion, such as the militarists asks, is to assail the divine 
sovereignty. It is to challenge God to defend Himself 
against the puny assaults of blatant infidelity. It is a 
case which inspired the Apostle Paul to cast in the teeth 
of the Roman gainsayer the question, ‘‘who art thou 
that replieth against God?’’ Rom. 9:20. Who are these 
pompous upstarts, covered with the blood of the mil- 
lions on the battle fields of the world, that defy the 
living God and curse, with impotent wrath, those who 
acclaim the vital doctrines of peace and love and for- 
giveness of enemies. He says, ‘‘If ye love father or 
mother, son or daughter, more than me, ye are not 
worthy of me.’’ Matt. 10:37. 

In a trial of certain brethren for sedition before an 
eminent judge in a far western state, he asked them if 
they estimated their souls of more value than the honor 
or their mother or daughter, and they replied ‘‘more 
than all things else,’’ at which the judge denounced 
them furiously and ordered them to be taken out of 
the court room. The charge of sedition against them 
was based on their attitude toward the service of our 
young brethren in the army during the late war. 


104 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


The case, reduced to the minimum in argument and 
testimony, 1s stated in correct terms of loyalty or dis- 
loyalty to our Lord, confidence or distrust in His prom- 
ises, obedience or disobedience to His commands. Read- 
ers, choose you this hour whom you will serve, whether 
the war maker or our loving Lord and Savior, but as 
for me and my brethren, we will trust the Lord. 

I give one instance to illustrate the attitude of our 
Lord toward the plea for self defense, the record of 
which you will find in St. John 11:48, which reads as 
follows, ‘‘If we let this man alone, all men will believe. 
on Him: and the Romans will come and take away our 
place and nation.’’ This stresses the contention that 
His doctrine forbids participation in war. The quota- 
tion following confirms the correctness of the forecast 
of the Pharisees, Luke 21:20-21. ‘‘And when ye shall 
see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then let them 
which are in Judah flee to the mountains, and let them 
which are in the midst of it depart out.’’ 

In Josephus’ history of the destruction of Jerusalem 
by the Romans, under the leadership of Titus, you will 
see the specific statement that, because of the threat- 
ening attitude of a hostile nation, contiguous to the 
eity, he withdrew his army for a few days, during 
which interval, ‘‘every disciple of Jesus Christ fled to 
the mountains,’’ literally conforming to the advice of 
their Lord. 

If you cannot, will not trust your Lord, get your 
gun, build up your armies and navies, fill the pulpits 
with advocates of war, defy the nations and then reap 
the harvest of the wrath of God whom you have repu- 
diated. 

Commenting on the incident, if there could possibly 
be conditions justifying a defensive war or self-defense, 
in any measure, that. occasion provided the exception. 
Yet the sequel affirms the charge of the militant Phar- 
isees, and is confirmed by the actions of the disciples, 


PERSECUTIONS PLUS PERSECUTIONS 105 


that wars for defense can never find justification in 
the Book of Books. 

Let the clerical militant read this illuminating inei- 
dent, catch its pacific spirit, and then let him go before 
his people and plead the divine message of peace and 
love, as the only balm that will heal the mortal wounds 
of a war scourged world. 


— 
—_—— eee 
ee ee 


PERSECUTIONS, PLUS PERSECUTIONS 


bb i 


‘*Persecutions for righteousness sake’’ is one of the 
inseparable concomitants of a union with our Lord and 
Savior. We cannot more easily escape it than we can 
escape the divine judgment if we consciously disobey 
His commands. It is also essential to a complete de- 
velopment of the spiritual nature. In Matthew 5:10 we 
read ‘‘Blessed are ye when ye are persecuted for 
righteousness sake.’’ In the first place it strengthens 
our faith and purpose to be loyal to the commands of 
our Lord, and, secondly, it assures us of an acceptance 
by Him. Satan has the rulership of the world in his 
hands, and, as he hates our Lord, so he hates His fol- 
lowers and as he persecuted Him, so will he persecute 
us. 

Let us note some of the passages in the New Testa- 
ment on that theme. We are commanded to ‘‘pray for 
those who persecute us,’’ and that ‘‘when we are per- 
secuted in one city we should flee to another,’’ and 
‘‘heing persecuted, we suffer it,’’ and, ‘‘being perse- 
_euted we are not forsaken,’’ and ‘‘there was great per- 
secution against the church,’’ and they were ‘‘scattered 
abroad on account of persecution’’ and ‘‘that they who 
live godly shall suffer persecution.’’ We are also told 
to ‘‘take pleasure in persecutions,’’ and St. Paul told 
his brethren in Thessalonica that ‘‘we glory for your 
faith and patience in all your persecutions,’’ and our 
Lord told His disciples that ‘‘as they persecuted Him, 


106 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





they, themselves, would be persecuted,’’ and that they 
_ would ‘‘be persecuted from city to city.’’ 

If we were not the victims of such conditions it 
would be evidence that we were in love with the world, 
for ‘‘the world loves its own’’ and we should rather 
rejoice thereat than to murmur or complain. Such 
conditions have prevailed ever since Satan came into 
the world, and Cai, in killing his brother, was the 
first to begin the work. It is said ‘‘he killed him be- 
cause his brother’s works were righteous and his own 
evil.”’ 

Persecutions have surged throughout the earth most 
malignantly since the advent of our Lord and the es- 
tablishment of His church. To a lesser extent it pre- 
vailed among the Jews before His coming. Many. of — 
the prophets were killed by the apostate Jews, and 
when our Lord delivered His judgments against Jeru- 
salem, one of the crimes for which she had to be pun- 
ished was, that ‘‘she had killed the prophets’’ and 
stoned them who had been sent unto her.’’ 

Note a schedule of the methods of the persecutors 
of that period as they are recorded in Hebrews 11. 
‘And others had trials of eruel mockings, scourgings, 
of bonds, and imprisonment. They were stoned, were 
sawed asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, desti- 
tute, afflicted, tormented, and wandered in deserts, in 
mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.’’ 

During the Apostolic age the bloodiest persecutions 
prevailed, too horrible for tongue to describe or imag- 
ination to conceive. Succeeding that period, the perse- 
cutions by the pagan rulers for three generations, were 
as merciless as Satan could inspire, or brutality could 
execute. 

It was then a conflict betwen the religion of pagan- 
ism and that of our Lord. 

After the third century, at which time the Roman 
emperor recognized the Christian religion as the relig- 


PERSECUTIONS PLUS PERSECUTIONS 107 


ion of the State, and which brought into the church all 
the moral filth of a rotten political system, much like 
that which prevails in modern governments, organiza- 
tions were formed in protest against the worldliness 
that had corrupted the forms of worship and! the moral 
standards of the people. Then the state church, as it 
was called by way of distinction, began its policy of 
persecuting the non militant organizations, and, for 
hundreds of years, ’till the beginning of the sixth cen- 
tury, the struggle for a pure form of worship was 
fought in the most relentless and vindictive manner, 
by the rulers of the nations. From that date, which 
marks the ascendency of the bishop of Rome and which 
also marks the beginning of the Papal church, the per- 
seecution of the opponents of that scheme was only a 
continuance of that which prevailed during the former 
regime. 

These conditions prevailed till the time of the so- 
called ‘‘Reformation’’ in Germany, by Martin Luther, 
From that date the same tactics were employed, first 
by the Papal followers, the Roman Catholics, in meth- 
ods as inhuman, as savage, as satanic, as those of for- 
mer periods, and later, by the state churches of Luther- 
anism and Episcopacy throughout the countries of 
Europe. The organizations founded or reorganized by 
Menno Simon, the founder of the Mennonite, and Geo. 
Fox, the founder of Quakerism, and Alexander Mack, 
the founder of Dunkerism, now the Church of the 
Brethren, because of their protest against the worldli- 
ness of the state churches, and of their protest against 
carnal war, were subjected to persecutions as horrible 
as that to which St. Paul refers in his letter to the 
Hebrews, reference to which is made heretofore. 

The causes of the former persecutions were based on 
differences in scriptural interpretation, but it was only 
another form of satanic hate against those who took 
issue with him on moral grounds, and who based their 


108 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


hostility on a literal, verbal construction of the com- 
mandments 9f our Lord. 

Such conditions prevail today, throughout the so- 
called Christian countries of the world. The vast 
masses of the peoples are led, or misled, by teachers 
and prophets who, ostensibly base their church systems 
on the unsophisticated words of our Lord, but who 
exalt the policies and commands of the rulers of the 
nations above those of the immaculate Son of God. 
Their rituals do not require renunciation of the follies 
of the world, nor do they bar affiliation and co-opera- . 
tion with the militaristic schemes of the apostate rulers 
of the nations. 

This condition explains the antagonism that is well 
nigh universal, against the non-military organizations, 
and it points definitely to the psychology that mani- 
fested' itself in the bitter persecution that the govern- 
ments of the countries inflicted on our people durtng 
the late world war. It was only an immaterial varia- 
tion of the old satanic persecution that prevailed 
through earlier ages, the old implacable enmity of 
Satan against the disciples of our Lord, and it is an in- 
eontestible evidence that we are His disciples. Were 
it otherwise we would have strong ground to fear that 
we were of an alien regime. 

It is our purpose now to furnish the readers of this 
book a compilation of the experiences of our brethren, 
who were conscientiously opposed to bear arms in the 
late world war. 

This compilation of sketches from the experiences of 
the C. O.’s in the training camps in this country and 
the prisons during the world war has been the product 
of the energy and efficiency of our dear Brother John 
Roop, Jr., of Linwood, Maryland, and is published in 
Part Four of this book. 


_ COMPROMISE PLUS COMPROMISE 109 





COMPROMISE PLUS COMPROMISE 

One of the essential phases of our mundane career 
is to draw the line of demarcation between the church 
and the world. ‘‘Hitherto shalt thou come but no fur- 
ther’’ is the declaration of the Most High and we 
should willingly subject ourselves to the divine limita- 
tions. When our Lord ascends the judgment seat, or 
when he takes the leadership, we bow submissively to 
His decrees and obey His commands without hesitancy 
or questicn. 

it requires special grace and wisdom, often, to. de- 
termine, approximately, how far we should go in the 
performance of our duties as citizens, ere we reach the 
stage when the laws of our country come in conflict 
_ with our paramount duty to God. 

The kingdoms of this world are not yet the kingdoms 
of our Lord. Satan has jurisdiction over the nations 
now as he did when he proposed to give them to our 
Savior ‘‘if he would fall down and worship him.’’ 

Our young brethren met the issue when the conseript 
laws required them to perform military duties during 
the late war. The war department made provision for 
relief from active service, but it did not provide for 
their protection from violations of those laws by mili- 
tary officers. It did not relieve them from the regu- 
lations that prevailed in the cantonments, concerning 
the wearing of the military uniform, or the military 
salutes, or the training in the ranks. It did not pro- 
vide punishment for officers who maltreated them 
brutally for refusal to obey orders. 

The church, also, did not have an established sched- 
ule of specifications which set out, in detail, the limi- 
tations as to what course should be taken, when mili- 
tary orders required them to do certain things which 
savored of compliance with army service, such as wear- 
ing uniforms, ete. 

It requires applicants for ea, to take a pledge 


110 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


to refuse military service but it did not particularize 
as to details. 

The young brethren had to meet the issue practically 
without help from the elders, and many of them were 
subjected to the severest physical suffering, even unto 
death, because they assumed positions adverse to the 
requirement of army rules concerning preparations for 
* war. . 

Let us view the question of the relation of war rules 
coneerning the wearing of the army uniform to the 
teaching of our Lord and His apostles. 


The uniform is the insignia of the army spirit. It 


emphasizes the matter of our affiliation and is, in a 
vital sense, a surrender of our opposition to war. It 
_ will be so. considered by those with whom we are asso- 


ciated and our testimony against war, which is as much 


proclaimed by our acts as by our words, will be.in a 
large measure, neutralized. To that extent it aligns 
us with the advocates of war. To that extent we vio- 
late a fundamental law of our Lord. In Ephesians 
5:11, we are commanded not to ‘‘have fellowship with 
the unfruitful works of darkness.’’ And in 2 Thessa- 
lonians 3:6, we are commanded to ‘‘withdraw from 
every brother who walketh disorderly,’’ thaf is, one 
who does not follow the teachings of the scriptures. 
The same objections prevail against the traditional 
military salutes that army rules require of the privates 
and subordinate officers, toward the superior officers. 
Its purpose is a recognition of their inferiority and 
tends to destroy self respect and breeds personal de- 
basement of the men in the ranks, and to inflame the 
superiors with personal pride, one of the most vicious 
traits of militarism. One of the most dangerous of 
the vices of the military scheme is the tendency and 
purpose to eliminate all sense of the value of human 
life, and of proper valuation of our personality, and 
each man in the ranks is nothing more than a cog m 


i tt 


COMPROMISE PLUS COMPROMISE 111 





a machine, and all this violates a law of our Lord as 
sacred as Himself, that of our own individual persona! 
responsibility. ‘‘Every man must give an account of 
himself to God.’’ Romans 14:12. 

The same argument and testimony pertains to train- 
ing in the line. Every movement of the person, every 
step, the purpose of which is to prepare the participant 
for the battle, for the march, for the departure from > 
civilian habits and manners and to glorify the militant 
spirit. 

But it is objected that our Lord does not forbid these 
things, therefore a compromise, where you do not 
offend the Word of God is permissible. But I will 
allege that these are necessary preliminaries to com- 
bative service and our testimony against war is prac- 
tically nullified and we endanger our relations to our 
Lord about. as effectively as if we were face to face 
with the foe with the weapons of death in our hangs. 
We cannot compromise with even the appearance of 
evil. In Matthew 12:30, our Lord tells us that ‘‘he 
that is not with me is against me,’’ and to affiliate, in 
any form, with the professional militarist is to align 
ourselves with Satan. 

These features are an inseparable part of the military 
machine and cannot be condoned or approved inno- 
cently. 

There are features of service in times of war which 
are strictly non-combative and which do not involve a 
compromise of the principles of Peace. 

Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., and all branches of hospital 
service are emphatically within the prescribed limits 
of scriptural approval. In the World war the Quakers 
performed prodigies of humanitarian service within 
those organizations, and expended large sums of money 
in the work of relief for the wounded soldiers. Any 
service along these lines, where the hazards of battie 
do not prevail, are worthy of our most arduous efforts, 


112 _ CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR | 





and in perfect harmony with the spirit of our loving 
Lord, and should demand large sacrifice. However, 
what would appear to be in perfect harmony with the 
gospel of love and peace to one, would not appeal to 
another. With many of the opponents of carnal war 
anything which constitutes a part of the system is ut- 
_terly abhorrent and forbids participation. 

To some, the wearing of the uniform, or the military 
salute, or the ‘‘drill’’ would not be repulsive for the 
reason that they do not necessarily imply a willingness 
to kill in battle. In such cases each one must be his 
own. arbiter and no man or government has divine com- 
mission to interpose restrictions. 

But, if voluntary compliance would imply approval 
of the military system, and so impress others then, for — 
the sake of others we would not be guiltless by con- 
formity. St. Paul stresses this feature in his letter in 
Corinthians 8:7-13, as follows to wit: 

‘‘Howbeit, there is not in every man that knowledge 
(one God and one Lord Jesus Christ) for some, with 
conscience of the idol unto this hour, eat meat as a 
thing offered to an idol and their conscience, being 
weak, is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God, 
for neither, if we eat are we the better, neither if we 
eat not are we worse. But, (take heed lest by any 
means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to 
them that are weak. For, if a man see thee, which 
hast knowledge sit at meat in the idols temple, shall not 
the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to 
eat those things which are offered to idols, be defiled. 
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother 
perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so 
against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, 
ye sin against Christ. Therefore, if meat make my 
brother offended, I will eat no meat while the world 
standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.’’ 

This definite and inspired analysis of the function 


COMPROMISE PLUS COMPROMISE 113 


of conscience should appeal to every one who recog- 
nizes the responsibility of our personal influence on our 
brother, and, also to emphasize the liberty of each one 
to follow his own conception of his duty to God. 

Under the inspiration of fundamental facts we are 
justified in determining our own course in all matters 
concerning our attitude toward carnal war, so far as 
it relates to minor features, such as wearing the unt- 
form. Of course such liberty does not affect the ques- 
tion of justification, in participating in battle. That 
is specifically forbidden by our Lord and is; therefore, 
placed without the range of the individual conscience. 

On account of this seeming abstruse definition of the 
right of conscience our brethren suffered’ most horrible 
punishments during the World war. It is specially 
noticeable that a difference of action on the part of the 
C. O.’s prevailed concerning the wearing of the unr- 
form. Some accepted it without objection, while others 
would not wear it under any conditions. Such a state 
of mind and conscience is fully provided for in St. 
Paul’s letter to Romans 14:5. ‘‘One man esteemeth 
one day above another: another esteemcth every day 
alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own 
mind.’’ In matters where a fundamental priciple is 
not involved each one must determine his own course 
of action according to the operation of his ewn con- 
science, and that action is just as determinate as if it 
were based on a specifie statement of the Lord. 

This does not apply to the question of our attitude 
toward the bearing of weapons of death or the killing 
‘of our enemies in battle. That feature of conscious re- 
sponsibility is settled finally by definite prohibition of 
our Lord and Master. 

The same method of interpretation applies, with 
equal force to many other features of military service, 
the details of which need not be mentioned. 

There are however general principles which would 


114 . CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





help much to remove the causes of friction, that was 
manifest in the cantonments and’ elsewhere. In my 
opinion all work that pertained to the relief of sick or 
wounded soldiers, the reconstruction of devastated war 
areas, could be performed with perfect conformity with 
the principles of love and peace. 

This was beautifully demonstrated by the Quakers 
and others during the late war. Hundreds of young 
men and millions of dollars were employed in those 


branches of service, to the infinite amelioration of hu-: 


man suffering. Read for profit and inspiration the fol- 
lowing quotation from Milton’s Poems, page 515. 


Torture the pages of the Holy Bible 

To sanction crime and robbery and blood 

And in Oppression’s hateful service libel 

Both man and God. 

This for those who plead Bible warrant for war. 





————— 
———— 


FEAR PLUS FEAR 


Fear is an emotion begotten from the apprehension of 
danger. This danger is of two varieties, one of which is 
physical, and the other spiritual, one of the body, the 
other of the soul, one material the other immaterial. 
One inspired by our Heavenly Father, through the 
agency of the Holy Ghost, the other by the Satanic 
father. We will note a few specifications: ‘‘The fear 


of the Lord, that is wisdom.’’ Job 28:28. ‘‘The fear ot 


the Lord is clean, enduring forever.’’ Psalm 19:9. 
‘‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”’ 
Psalms 111:10. ‘‘The fear of the Lord is his treasure.’’ 
Isaiah 33:6. ‘‘ Walking in the fear of the Lord.’’ Acts 
9:31. ‘‘Perfect holiness in the fear of God.’’ 2 Corin- 
thians 7:1. ‘‘No fear in love, but perfect love casteth 
out fear, because fear hath torment. ‘He that feareth 
is not made perfect in Love.’’ 1 John 4:18. Many other 
passages from the immortal Word could be added to 












FEAR PLUS FEAR — 115 


emphasize the function of fear as it relates to our God, 
all in perfect accord with the foregoing, but these will 
suffice for our purpose to show its relation to the ques- 
tion of our physical and spiritual welfare. There may 
be two phases of this emotion, one that refers to a sense | 
vf danger if we do not confess God, and the other from 
a desire to please Him. 

It is possible that many people seek the divine favor 
through the fear of the torments of hell. I will not 
say this is unavailing because I do not know the mina 
of God on all things. It would seem, however, that 
such a mental state would not represent the highest 
aspiration of a seeking soul. It would be inferred that, 
were there no hell to punish sinners, there would be no 
incentive to confession. It certainly testifies to a high- 
er conception of the divine interest in our welfare, when 
we confess Him because of His love toward us which 
manifested in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. 

A person who has reached the blissful stage of the 
transformed life does not fear anything, cither pain, 
sickness, or death, or hell, or satanic wiles, or persecu- 
tion. ! 

Reasoning along these lines could be continued with- 
out limit but these will suffice to show that our alliance 
with our Heavenly Father shields us from one of the 
most prolific sources of trouble to which we are sub- 
ject in this life. 

The satanic specimen is as evident in the lives of 
men and women as that of our Lord, and I feel justi- 


fied in saying that it is the fountain of most of the 


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afflictions that satanic service brings to this world. It 
finds expression in the attitude of individuals in pre- 
paring for self defense. The clerical who always slept 
with a pistol under his pillow feared personal danger. 
~The folks who surround themselves with means for the 
defense of their households, armed with deadly weap- 
ons, do it from the same impulse. Nations which cre- 


hi: 
tue 


rad 


116 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR ‘ 


ate armies and navies for war do it for the same reason. 
The countries of the world, especially those who 
claim alliance with the religion of the cross, brothers — 
of the same spiritual regime, are, today, arming to the 
limit under the fear of aggression. Satan inspires this © 
fear. Trust in the loving Lord would drive away that — 
emotion like mist before the morning sun. These © 
nations are conscripting the wealth and the man power ~ 
of the world, beyond the limit of sane endurance, to 4 
meet each other on the battle field, to test the ability — 
of each other in defense of their several countries. ' 
There is no other reason for such barbaric, unchristian 
procedure. Our country, once the refuge of the perse- — 
cuted and oppressed of the old world, has become as © 
virulent a persecutor of the disciples of our Lord as — 
the most pagan of the overseas countries. Thousands : 
of the pacifist people, of this and other reputed Chris- — 
tian countries, suffered tortures, unbelievable, during — 
the world war, because of their testimony against ear- a 
nal war. 
There is but one remedy for this mternational ail- ~ 
ment, this insane satanic fear, and that is trust in the 
Lord. This trust must be absolute, not conditional, as © 
Napoleon trusted who told his soldiers to ‘‘trust in — 
God, but keep their powder dry.’’ Such dilly-dallying : 
will bar God’s respect for us and prevent His interven- © 
tion in our behalf. But how will He administer His — 
protective providences? That is not a loyal question. — 
t suggests doubt, and he that doubteth is condemned. — 
Let us answer the question in part. In Hebrews 12:22, 
we are told that ‘‘there are an innumerable company — 
of angels.’’ In Hebrews 1:14, we find that ‘‘these_ 
angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be ~ 
heirs of salvation.’’ When St. Paul was being taken 
to Rome, as a prisoner, at the time of the storm on the 
sea, when the crew and passengers were in despair, he 
told them not to fear ‘‘for there stood by me this night 














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=: 


Re x, 


=o 


ae OS 


ae 


~FEAR PLUS FEAR 117 


me ee ee a 








the angel of God, saying, fear not Paul for thou must 


be brought before Caesar.’’ Acts 27:23. When the Sad- 
ducees put certain apostles in prison for preaching the 


doctrine of the resurrection, an angel of the Lord 
opened the doors of the prison and brought them forth. 


- Acts 5:19. 


When an Assyrian army of hundreds of thousands 
surrounded the city of Jerusalem, through the prayers 
of the king and prophet, an angel came and killed 185.,- 
600 of them in one night. When the disciples wanted 


to defend the Lord agaist a mob of Jews, he told them, 


*“thinketh thou that I cannot pray to my father and 


He shall give me more than twelve legions of angels.”’ 


A Roman legion is 6666. Twelve times that number is 


79,992. If one angel can slay 185,000 in one night, how 
many can 79,992 kill in one day? Note the number 
fourteen billion, eight hundred sixty-eight millions, 


five hundred twenty thousand, or over seven times the 


_ population of the world today which is 1,600,000,000. 


Do you not think, dear reader, that we could trust the 


_ living God who has such means of protection, and dem- 


onstrate our trust by disbanding our armies and stop 
killing our enemies! Let me give the readers of these 


tines a few testimonies of the activities of the angels 
an our behalf to the end that our fears may be abated 
_ and our trust strengthened. The angel of the Lord en- 
- eampeth round about them that fear Him and' deliver- 
eth them. Psalms 34:7. ‘‘Behold the mountains were 


full of chariots and horsemen of fire round about 


3 4 Elisha.’’ 2 Kings 6:17. 


These means of defense God sent to the city of 


Dothan in Judea to protect the prophet Elisha, whom 
_ the Syrian army had come to capture. Reader, do you 


_ think you would fear an army of invaders if you were 








‘a protected by such an angelic host? 


“‘But ye are come to an innumerable company of 


iM Angels.’’ Hebrews 12:22. Are not angels ministering 


118 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be 
heirs of salvation? Hebrews 1:4. 

These assuranees of adequate protection in every 
emergency, and scores of similar testimonies, should 
dispel all the fears which Satan employs to beguile us 
from trust In our Lord. War calls for armies and 
navies, and faithless men and nations hear and heed 
the appeal and we have wars and desolations and death. 
Trust in the guardian angels, dispels all such emotions, 
and peace and love prevail. Reader which will you 
choose? ‘‘Now is the accepted time, behold now is the 
day of salvation.’’ Trust God and be saved, doubt 
Him and be condemned. 


COUNTER TESTIMONIES AND ARGUMENTS 
It would appear that the obligation of courtesy, an 


obligation stressed by St. Peter in his first letter 3:8 


should be observed toward those who interpret the 
seriptures in harmony with the spirit and practice of 
carnal war. 

It has been stated, repeatedly, in the various chap- 
ters im our book, that war and Satan are synonyms, 
but there are possibilities of erroneous interpretations, 
and those who hold contrary views are entitled to 
reasonable consideration. However, we do not concede 
that there is the faintest gleam of doubt in our mind 
about the matter. With us that question is settled 
until the final Judgment. 

Note the following quotations which are adduced by 
the militant elass. ‘‘Think not that I came to send 
peace. I came not to send peace but a sword. For I 
am come to set a man at variance with his father, and 
the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in- 
law against her mother-in-lw.’’ Matthew 10 :34-35. 

The construction of the war maker, carried out log- 
ically, would equally indict our Lord with the purpose 


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COUNTER TESTIMONIES 119 


to justify the breaking of the immortal commandment, 
‘‘Children obey your parents.’’ Would they charge 
our Lord with such a breach of the law of His Father? 
Would they? He says in His prayer, John 17:14. ‘‘I 
have given them Thy Word,’’ and he says, in another 
chapter, ‘‘ The words I speak are not My words but the 
words of Him that sent me.’’ Does any one sanely be- 
heve that our God sent His Son into the world to teach 
disobedience to a vital commandment, to teach hate, 
that results in breaking up the peace of . houseiolds? 
No, they do not believe such a story. 

Those verses simply record a prophecy of the results, 
but not the purpose of His coming. 

Again, we have in Luke, 22:36-38 the following com- 
mand. ‘‘He that hath no sword let him sell his gar- 
ment and buy one, and they said Lord, behold, here are 
two swords. And He said unto them, it is enough.’’ 
This transpired within the hour of His arrest by the 


_mob sent out by the Pharisees. When they laid their 


hands on Him one of the disciples said unto Him, ‘‘ Lord 
shall we smite with the sword?’’ and he drew his sword 
from its sheath and cut off the ear of the servant of 
the high priest. 

Immediately the Lord peeneed him, to ‘‘put up 
the sword’ and said ‘‘they who take the sword shall 


perish with the sword.’’ 


This whole episode is susceptible of but one logical, 
reasonable construction. It was an object lesson to 
illustrate the mission of peace and love which was and 
is the sole basis of the plan of salvation, that and 
nething more. There is no suggestion anywhere 
through the Apostolic regime that that sword should 
ever be taken out of its sheath; Never. It would be 
silly to say that two swords would be enough to meet 
the emergency of the arrest of our Lord if it was the 
purpose to use it after the militaristic fashion. 

Again, the feeble quibbler quotes Ist Timothy 5:8. 


120 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


‘‘But if any provide not for his own household, he 
hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.”’ 
The only sane, rational, practical, scriptural way to 
provide and protect your family is to eliminate war 
and establish peace throughout the earth. There are 
more households destroyed by war than by all the 
other agencies of Satan combined. We pursue that 
method, and, when Satan is chained in the pit for a 
thousand years, our happy households wiil enjoy peace 
and safety and not before. 

Again, we quote one of the assumed, incontrovertible 
passages from our great Book, justifying carnal war, 


from St. Paul to the Roman church, 13:1 to 4. Note | 


the quotation: ‘‘Let every soul be subject unto the 
higher powers. For there is no power but of God. The 
powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever re- 
sisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and 
they who resist shall receive greater damnation. For 
rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil. 
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if 
thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth 
not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a 
revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”’ 
There are several points in this controversy that we 
will elaborate as fully as the facts and _ testimonies 
warrant. 

First, the commands of rulers must be obeyed, only 
when they do not contravene the commands of God. 
That point was clarified in that controversy that arose 
betwen the ruler of the Jews, and the Apostles, John 
and Peter. Those rulers commanded them not to teach 
in the name of Jesus Christ. 

The instant reply was, ‘‘we ought to obey God rather 
than man.’’ We make the same reply when our rulers 
command (conscript) us to fight and kill our enemies. 

It is presumed that rulers will not command us to 
disobey our Lord, but when there is a palpable diver- 





COUNTER TESTIMONIES 121 





gence between their commands and those of our Lord, 
we have no alternative but to disobey the ruler, and 
suffer the results. 


Let us apply the test that arose during the days of 
Pagan Rome, and later, when the world was ruled by 
Catholics. Those persecutions in which millions were 
tortured and killed because they would not abandon 
their faith in the Lord, at the command of those rulers, 
the question was one of betrayal of the Lord or death 
by fire and sword, and they chose the latter, Will those 
who acclaim the absolute supremacy of earthly rulers 
take the side of the pagan or Catholic rulers, or that of 
those who disobeyed them and died’? Which? 


Note further that the sequel of this controversy is 
found in verse 4. ‘‘For he is the minister of God, a re- 
venger to execute wrate on him that doeth evil.’’ 


We quote a passage from Ist St. Peter 2:15, 14, 
stressing the same point to which St. Paul refers in an 
excerpt mentioned heretofore. ‘‘Submit yourselves to 
every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it 
be to the king as supreme; or unto governors as unto 
them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil 
doers.’’ The advice which those ordained Apostles gave 
te the churches are identical as to all material facts, 
and our answer to the latter is found in our comments 
on the former. Obey rulers when their commands do 
not conflict with the commands of our Lord; no more 


and no less, 


Governments were established in the world by spe- 
cial decree of God to protect the people from profes- 
sional ‘‘evil doers’’ not to wage wars for the destruc- 
tion of society, the ultimate result of all wars. I do not 
need to continue the argument along this line. The 
perversity of human nature makes the ‘‘evil doer’’ a 
constant menace, and our only protection is a sanely 
administered government, and that was the only 


122 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


a te te ae a | NA RN A RR RR RS I 


thought of the inspired Apostle when he was writing 
to those Roman Christians. 

‘‘He is a revenger to execute wrath (not his, but 
God’s) upon him that doeth evil,’’ this and nothing 
more. To construe it in justification of carnal war is to 
ecntravene every impulse, every imstinct, every com- 
mand, stressed by every means that the infinite sover- 
elgnty of God could impel, and corroborated by our 
loving Lord and His ordained Apostles, in every page 


of the immaculate Book. Failing to justify or palliate - 


the use of the carnal sword by the authority of our 
Lord, the militant appeals to the Jewish regime, which 


began at the miraculous passage of the Red Sea, and. 


ended at the ministry of John the Baptist. Read Luke 


16:16. ‘‘The law and the prophets were unto John, 


since that time the kingdom of God is preached and 
every man presseth into it.’’ Presuming that people, 
who make such appeals in behalf of war, are honest 
and sincere, there is but one explanation of such a spir- 
itual condition, that of the blindness that follows un- 
belief in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Let us note a few characteristics delineating the man- 
ners and customs that prevailed throughout Jewry 
’ prior to the coming of our Lord. 

Then, the practice was ‘‘an eye for an eye and a 


tooth for a tooth,’’ in martial parlance reprisals, sim- 


ply the process of retaliation. 

‘‘Now I say unto you resist not evil.’’ Then polyg- 
amy and promiscuous divorce were allowed because of 
the ‘‘hardness of their hearts.’’ Now both are abso- 
lutely forbidden. Abraham and all the patriarchs, 
were polygamists, and also slaveholders, and some of 
them were incestuous, and all were red with the blood 


of their enemies, shed in war. The moral standards of 


that regime were as far below that of our Lord and 
His apostles as the law is below the gospel. They are 
incomparable, unassimilable, and cannot conscientious- 





COUNTER TESTIMONIES 123 





ly be quoted as our guide in matters which relate to 
our obligation to our Heavenly Father. Going outside 
of the assumed testimony of the scriptures, the mar- 
tialist appeals to the natural human instinct of self 
preservation, to the protection of our household against 
evil doers. We answer this in a few words. First, 
there is no logical parallel between the performances 
of an ‘‘evil doer’’ and of embattled armies. One is, an 
assault of perverted man against a helpless, innocent 
citizen, the other the equal or possibly the unequal 
matching of the physical elements of one nation against 
the same elements in another nation, inspired by the 
satanic lust for blood, and dominion, and wealth. In 
either case resistence is definitely forbidden by our 
Lord and we have but one alternative, simply to trust 
and obey. Of course, if we refuse to trust God' we will 
get our gun and protect ourselves if we can. 

Our only hope for salvation in this and the next 
world is based on absolute trust in God. Rev. 19:11, 12, 
13, 14, 15 is quoted as a specific warrant for the use 
of the sword in carnal war. Its absolute irrelevancy 
to the subject of carnal war is so apparent that we can 
hardly clear its advocates from the censure of premed- 
itated purpose to mislead his questioner. The 15th 
verse gives the character of the sword employed in 
that war. ‘‘Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, 
with which he should smite the nations.’’ That weapon 
was and is the same that is spoken of in Ephesians 6:17 
‘““The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.’’ 

We have another argument to meet and refute in 
behalf of carnal war. It is said there are some five 
hundred millions of armed savages who have yet to 
receive a thousand years of mental and spiritual deve:- 
opment before they will be able to conform to the teach- 
ing of our Lord in behalf of love and peace. 

The reply to this is short and sharp. The last world 
war, the most bloody and satanic of all the wars since 


124 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR > 


ee ne cet ee ee en nee em cat en amen mer re Lesenlsaieeninabeansia 


the beginning of.the Christian era, was fought by the 
reputed Christian nations. Not one of the pagan nations 
was involved in it. 

All the wars of the world since the sixth century, 
when Catholicism became a world power, have been 
fought by reputed Christian nations, except a short re- 
gime of the Saracen uprising about the twelfth cen- 
tury. 

The pagan nations are not a menace to the peace of 
the world. They are the only peace loving people now 
on the earth. China and India and the Arabian countries 
are noted for the pacific nature of their governmental 
policies. Even among the aborigines of America, the 
peace doctrine was dominant. That was demonstrated 
in the attitude of the mightiest of these tribes toward 
William Penn, in their relations toward each other. It 
is said that not one Quaker was killed during William 
Penn’s administration. 

St. Paul himself gave us his interpretation of his dis- 
course on that subject by repeated disobedience to the 
mandates of the rulers when it came in conflict with 
his obligation to the Lord Jesus, and he was punished 
and persecuted throughout his ministerial career for 
disobedience. In 2 Corinthians 11: 23, 24, 25 he gives 
us an interesting exhibit of his experiences with civil 
rulers which embraces some 20 years of his ministry, 
all of which emphasize his loyalty to his Lord’ when he 
was required to obey the mandates of such rulers. Note 
the category. ‘‘In stripes above measure, in prison 
more frequent, in death oft, of the Jews five times I 
received forty stripes save one, thrice I was beaten 
with rods, once I was stoned, in perils by mine own 
countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the 
city, in perils among false brethren, ete.’’ 

There can be no gainsaying the supremacy of our 
obligation to our Lord Jesus over temporal rulers, and 
when they command us by conscription laws, enforced 


COUNTER TESTIMONIES 125 


ee ns 


by conscienceless subordinates, to go to war and kill 
our alleged enemies, or our brethren, our obligation to 
them ceases. 

We have reached the limit of our criticism of counter 
testimonies in behalf of carnal war by militarists, and, 
now, will confront them with specific charges of the 
most audacious and vindictive disrespect and disloy- 
alty toward the poor, sick world’s Redeemer, in their 
insane effort to fasten on us the horrid monster that 
has been flooding the rivers and fields with seas of 
buman blood for thousands of years, and their persist- 
ent contention that their schemes have His warrant and 
approval. 

These puny creatures of an hour, pitiful nonentities, 
in contrast to the immaculate Galilean, pose before the 
nations as ordained leaders, chosen of God to fashion 
her destinies, while their rule of iron has blighted our 
hopes all through the ages. 

Let us ask them ‘‘who art thou that repliest against 
God?’’ Romans 9:20. Who are ye that set at nought 
specific commands of the infinite sovereign of a thous- 
and worlds? Who are ye that would countervail the 
divine administration which would bring ‘‘peace and 
oood will’’ to our starving millions who are perishing 
for the only balm that would heal the deadly diseases 
of war? Who are ye that contemptuously tell our Lord 
that His doctrines are impractical at this stage, that 
He is an impractical idealist, a vaporous dreamer? 

Let them face the incontrovertible fact that they 
must meet the issue when they confront the immaculate 
Judge, at the final day. Our Lord has told them that 
‘‘T judge no man but the Word I speak shall judge 
every man at the last day.’’ That Word teaches, un- 
equivoecally, peace and love and good will and forgtve- 
ness of enemies, while war disannuls the gracious mes- 
sage, and when doomsday ushers in its advent and con- 
serves its mission, millions of years of torment will be 


126 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


the tragic finale to the age long, world wide advocacy 
of carnal war. * 


eel 


== 


ULTIMATUMS 


In the multifarious propositions on the subject of 
the absolute conditions on which our final salvation is 
based we find not a few that are so decisive, so conclu- 
sive, so demonstrative, so mutable that ‘‘a wayfaring 
man though he be a fool’’ cannot err in their adminis- 
tration or interpretation. Really they do not need the 
application of the faculty of the interpreter. A cer- 
tain Biblical teacher was asked once, ‘‘How he inter- 
preted a certain passage,’’ He aptly replied, ‘‘I do not 
interpret God’s Word; I simply believe and obey it.”’ 

It does not require large mental development to un- 
derstand. and demonstrate, in our lives, the Words of 
our Lord. For some seemingly inconceivable reason 
‘‘these things are hidden from the wise and prudent, 
(the educated) and are revealed to babes and suck- 
~ lings.’’ , 

Let us note a few passages which are gleaned from 
the immaculate Word. ‘“‘Blessed are the peacemakers 
for they shall be called the children of God.’’ Matthew 
5:9. Whose children are the war-makers? ‘‘He that 
heareth these sayings of mine, (the sermon on _ the 
Mount) and doeth them shall not be likened to a fool- 
ish man who built his house on the sand, and it fell and 
great was the fall of it.’ Matthew 7:26. ‘‘He that hat- 
eth his brother is a murderer and no murderer hath 
eternal life abiding in him.’’ 1 John 3:15. ‘‘He that 
loveth not his brother abideth in death.’’ 1 John 3:14. 

‘Follow peace with all men and holiness without 
which no man shall see the Lord.’’ Hebrews 12:14. ‘‘He 
that saith, I know Him and keepeth not His command- 
ments isa liar and the truth is not in him.’’ 1 John 
2:4. ‘‘For this is the message that ye heard from the 





¢ 


ULTIMATUMS 127 


- beginning, that we should love one another.’’ 1 John 


3:11. 

‘“Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels 
and have not love, I am become as sounding brass and 
a tinkling cymbal.’’ 1 Corinthians 13:1. | 

‘Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand 
all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all 
faith so that I could remove mountains and have not 
love I am nothing.’’ 1 Corinthians 13 :2. 

‘And though I gave all my goods to feed the poor 
and though I gave my body to be burned and have not 
love it profiteth me nothing.’’ 1 Corinthians 13:3. 

‘“Let us love each other, not as Cain that wicked one 
who slew his brother.’’ 1 John 3:12. 

‘‘Love worketh no ill to his neighbor, therefore love 
is the fulfilling of the law.’’ Romans 13:10. 

‘“‘Thou shalt not kill, and if there be any other com- 
mandment it is comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor as thyself.’’ Romans 13:9. 

‘‘Tf a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he 
is a liar.’’? 1 John 4:20. 

‘All liars shall have their part in the lake which 
burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second 
death.’’ Revelations 21:8. 

‘‘TIn this the children of God are manifest and the 
children of the devil; Whosoever doeth not righteous- 
ness is not of God, ie he that loveth not his weds 

7? 1 John 3:10. 

wae a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he 


is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he 


hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not 
seen?’’ 1 John 4:20. 

‘He that loveth not, knoweth not God for God! is 
love.’’ 1 John 3:8. 

‘‘Hior if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither 
will your Father forgive your trespasses.’’ Matthew 
6:15: 


128 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


‘‘T say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for 
them which despitefully use and persecute you, that ye 
may be the children of our Father which is in Heaven.”’ 
Matthew 44:45. If we do not obey our Lord as_ set 
forth in these verses, we are the children of the devil. 

‘‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the 
law and the prophets.’’ Matthew 7:12. 

‘‘He that hateth his brother is in darkness and walk- 
eth in darkness, (That means that he is blind) because 
darkness hath blinded his eyes.’’ 

The foregoing excerpts from the immaculate Word 
of the immaculate Lord will suffice to emphasize the 
absolute power of the ‘‘ultimatums’’ of which there 
are innumerable additional, all of which are decisive 
in their relation to our ultimate salvation. 

It would be an unsolved problem why such unan- 
swerable testimonies do not control the lives of those 
who read them and have the normal faculties to inter- 
pret them rightly, were we not advised that our arch 
enemy, the great deceiver, has the power to blind our 
eyes so that we cannot see nor understand. Note the 
testimony of the inspired Apostle Paul. ‘‘In whom the 
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
which believed not, lest the light of the glorious gospel 
should shine unto them.’’ 2 Corinthians 4:4. 

Again, ‘‘But when they had heard the Word, Satan 
eometh and taketh away the Word that was sown in 
their hearts.’’ Mark 4:15. 

My beloved readers, beware, lest when we think we 
stand we may fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12. 

‘‘He that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My Words, 
hath One that judgeth him. The Word that I have 
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.’”’ 


a 


QUESTION AIRE 129 


QUESTIONAIRE 

Was John the Baptist a pacifist? 

‘Do violence to no man and be content with your 
wages.’’ Luke 3:14. 

Was our Lord a pacifist? 

“Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and 
good will toward men.’’ The Annunciation. Luke 2:14. 

Was His Kingdom pacific? 

‘“‘My Kingdom is not of this world, else my servants 
would fight that I be not delivered to the Jews.’’ John 
18 :36 

What did He command His disciples to do when Jer- 
usalem would be surrounded with enemies? 

‘““‘When ye see Jerusalem surrounded with enemies. 
flee to the mountains.’’ Luke 21:20. 

Whose children are the peacemakers? 

‘‘Blessed are peacemakers for they shall be called 


the children of God.’’ Matthew 5:9. 


Whose children are the war makers? 

May we kill our enemies? 

‘“When they hunger, feed them, when they thirst, 
give them drink.’’ ‘‘I say unto you forgive your ene- 
mies.’’ Romans 12:20. 

May we hate our brethren? 

““He that hateth his brother is a murderer and no 
murderer hath eternal life.’’ 1 John 3:15. 

Can we love our Lord and hate our brother at the 
same time? 

“Fre that saith, he loveth me and loveth not his 
brother is a liar.’’ John 4:20. 

How can we show evidence of our discipleship toward 
our Lord? 

‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples 
if ye have love one for another. 

Whose disciples are we if we do not love each other? 

We are Satan’s disciples. 


130 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Can we_love our brethren and kill them at the same 
time? 

‘‘Let us love one another, not as Cain, who was of 
that wicked one and slew his brother.’’ 1 John 3:12. 

From whence come wars and fightings among you? 

‘‘They come from our lusts which war in our mem- 
bers.’’ James 4:1. 

Who inspires our lusts? 

‘‘Ye are of your father the devil and his lusts will 
ye do.’’ John 8:44. 

What is war? 

War is Hell. 

Can Christians affiliate with war-makers? 

‘Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of 
darkness.’’ Ephesians 5:11. ‘‘Be not unequally yoked 
with unbelievers.’’ 2 Corinthians 6:14. 

Was there war in heaven? 

Yes. Revelation 12:7. 

What weapons did the angels of God use? 

The sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. 
Revelations 19:15. 

What are the fruits of the spirit of our Lord? 

Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, meekness, gentle- 
ness. Galatians 5:22. 

What are the fruits of the flesh; of Satan’s spirit? 

Hatred, variance, envy, wrath, strife, sedition, mur- 
der. Galatians 5:20. 

What kind of weapons did St. Paul use in his wars? 

‘‘The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but 
spiritual and mighty through God.’’ 2 Corinthians 10:4. 

Did not the Jewish people exact ‘‘an eye for an eye 
and a tooth for a tooth’’ under the law? 

‘“Yes, but our Lord said) ‘‘resist not evil and whoso- 
ever smiteth thee on the right cheek, turn to him the 
other also.’’ Matthew 5:38-39. 

What did our Lord say concerning those who heard 
His sayings and would not do them? 


QUESTIONAIRE , 131 








He said they were ‘‘like foolish men who built their 
houses on the sand.’’ Matthew 7:26. 

Why was the Lord called the Lamb of God? John 
1:29? 

Because lambs are peaceful and it was emblematic 
of His spirit. 

Why did our Lord call his disciples sheep? John 
21-26. | 

Because sheep are not belligerent and it is a type or 
the spirit of His disciples. 

Did not our Lord say He came not to bring peace but 
a sword? Matthew 10:34. 

Yes, but that was a prophecy of the result, and not 
the purpose of His coming. | 

Did not he command His disciples to buy swords? 

Yes, but later, He commanded them to put up their 
swords into the sheaths. 

Whose are the kingdoms of this world? 

Satan’s. In the temptation of our Lord he ‘‘showed 
Him all the kingdoms of this world and he said, they 
are mine.’’ Matthew 4:8. 

Does Satan inspire carnal war? 

Yes. When he is chained in the pit during the mil- 
lennium there will be no war. 

Explain that paradox of ministers of the gospel 
preaching war. 

‘‘TIf Satan can transform himself into an oe of 
light, how much more his ministers into ministers of 


righteousness.’’ 2 Corinthians 13 :14-15. 


Can we trust the Lord to protect us from our ene- 
mies? 

Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed to God to protect them 
from an Assyrian army, and an angel killed 185,000 of 
them in one night. 2 Kings 19:35. 

What is the mission of the angels? 

‘“‘They are ministering spirits sent forth to minister 
to them who shall be heirs of salvation.’’ Hebrews 1:14. 


132 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





How many angels are there who have this service to 
perform? 

If our Lord would have prayed to His Father He 
would have sent twelve legions of them to save Him 
from crucifixion. Matthew 26:53. 

And the number of them was ten thousand times 
ten thousand and thousands of thousands. Revelations 
5-11. 

How can we know that we love Christ? 

‘‘If you do not love those you have seen (your 
brother) how can you love Him whom it have not 
seen?’’ (Our Lord). 

How can we know that we love God? 

‘‘This is the love of God that ye keep His command- 
ments.”’ 

What is the first great commandment? 

‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.’’ Matthew 
22:01, 

What is the second great commandment? 

‘‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’’ Matthew 
22:39. 

Can we safely trust in the Lord in times of nation- 
al peril? 

‘‘Tt is better to trust in the Lord than to put confi- 
dence in man.’’ Psalms 118:8. 

What is pure and undefiled religion? 

‘““Yo visit the fatherless and widows in their afflie- 
tion and keep himself unspotted from the world.’’ 
James 1:27. 

What constitutes the langest factor to the ee of 
widows and fatherless children? 

Carnal war. 

What new commandment did our Lord give to the 
disciples? 

““A new commandment I give unto you that ye love 


RECONSTRUCTION 133 








one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one 
another.’’ John 13:54. 

Can carnar war be promoted where love abounds? 

It cannot, because Satan, who. inspires all wars, can- 
not exist in an atmosphere of love, neither can our Lord 
exist In an atmosphere of hate. Hate is the soul of car- 
nal war. | 


RECONSTRUCTION 


Having passed through one of the most bloody and 
destructive wars of all the ages, the reputed Christian 
nations are now interested in the work of ‘‘reconstrue- 
tion’’ and the methods which they are pursuing are in- 
dicative of the spirit by which they have been con- 
trolled in all their performances heretofore. 

In all the activities of the peoples of the world there 
is nothing more destructive and momentous than war. 
Ideals, standards, policies, hopes, governments, relig- 
ion, (pure and undefiled) business of all kinds, except 
the demoniacal waste of all the elements of produc- 
tion, love, life, every thing except things satanic, all go 
down in universal wreckage. 

The achievements of generations, along the lines of 
moral, religious, and industrial development, have been 
practically destroyed and generations yet unborn will 
have to bear the burden of rehabilitation. 

As this condition relates to matters of a temporal 


nature we will leave it to worldly rulers, although tem- 


poral things are closely related to things spiritual. The 
indifference to the teachings of our Lord toward! gov- 
ernments and their responsibilities, is one of the po- 


tential causes of the maladministration of public af- 


fairs. 

There have been conditions among the nations in the 
past centuries exactly similar to those which prevail 
now. Treaties and pacts and alliances and truces ana 


134 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


leagues of wations and international conferences have 
been staged heretofore to prevent war but all have 
failed of that purpose. The treaty of Westphalia at 
the close of the thirty years war, (it is a matter of his- 
toric record that one-third of the population of Europe 
were killed on the battle fields and the sacking of eit- 
ies in that war) the triple alliance which was a com- 
bination of the countries of Austria, Germany and Itary 
to preserve the peace of Europe, ‘‘the truce of God,’’ 
which was launched to check the wholesale murder of 
the peoples of Europe during the feudal ages, and later 
the treaty of Paris and the treaty of London were all 
tragic, monumental failures to preserve the peace of 
the world. | 


We now are launching leagues of nations and con- 
ferences to eliminate the causes of war and while the 
ink is barely dry on the records, all the reputed Chris- 
tian nations are insanely alert in matters pertaining 
to preparedness for war. The satanic spirit was never 
more belligerent and rampant than it is now. 


It will be interesting to our readers to know the 
reasons why wars are not prohibited. To answer thar 
question let us note that the nations absolutely repu- 
diated the need of divine leadership. Their schemes 
are solely based on the flimsy foundatoin of worldly 
policies. Let us take for example the attitude of tne 
conferers at the Paris conference which evolved the 
League of Nations. It was composed of high churen 
officials and yet because there were representatives of 
heathen nations at the table prayers to the Christian’s 
God were forbidden. And in the Washington Confer- 
ence, because of the presence of members of the Bud- 
dhist and Confucius organizations, the minister, Dr. 
Abernathy, was reminded that it would be advisable 
not to mention the name of our Christ in his prayer. 
We do not need any further suggestion concerning the 


RECONSTRUCTION 135 


causes of the failures of anti-war conferences. They 
are self-condemnatory. 

Observe the following scriptures emphasizing the 
conditions of successful prayer each ard all of which 
demonstrate the supreme folly of the action of the con- 
ference. ‘‘And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name 
that will I do. If ye shall ask anything in my name I 
will do it.’’ John 14: 18, 14. ‘‘Verily, verily; I say 
unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my 
name, He will do it.’’ John 16:23. 

“Hirst I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you 
all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole 
world.’’ Romans 1:8. ‘‘Giving thanks always unto God 
and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’’ 
iphesians 5:20. ‘‘And whatsoever ye do in word or 
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving 
thanks to God and the Father by Him.’’ Colossians 3: 
17. ‘‘By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of 


praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, 
giving thanks to His name.’’ Hebrews 13:15. 


These quotations from the Pauline Epistles give us 
very definite standing as to his conception of the vital 
element of the name and personality of Christ in our 
prayers, and they amply condemn the satanic inspira- 
tion of prayer to the Father without the mediation of 
His well beloved Son. When our rulers officially deny 
His holy office of Mediator in every service which they 
essay to render Him, it is high time for His disciples 
to awake to the danger of their leadership. 

We want to note another movement to eliminate 
war, this on the part of the religious organizations of 


America. The Federal Council of the churches of 


Christ have issued an invitation to the churches of 
Germany ‘‘to co-operate in the duty of developing a 
world-inclusive peace system to, not only forbid, but 
remove the causes of war.’’ Let us ask why it did not 


include other countries beside Germany. The other 


a 


136 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





nations are covered with the blood of the millions slain — 
in the great war, and they are as guilty of the whole- 
sale murder as Germany, and no measure can be suc- 
eesstul which does not embrace them all. It is the sil- 
liest twaddle to make Germany the goat in these mat- 
ters. She is justly chargeable with the unspeakable 
erime of launching the war but all of the nations which 
were involved were armed to the limit and were stand- 
ing at each other’s throats, ready to make the first 
stroke. The murderous spirit of war was and is dom- 
inant in all of them, and has been for thousands of 
years, and any recess or holiday only means the trend 
of recuperation for continuous wars. As long as these 
nations have armies and navies of millions strong, 
there must be wars. It is the business of these millions 
to fight in battles and they will intrigue to the end 
that they will not lose their job. 

If the Federation of Churches will employ seriptural 
measures to insure universal and perpetual peace they 
can do it. If their opposition to war is based on the 
sacrifice of the lives of soldiers on the battle fields and 
the wicked waste of property and the chaotic condt- 
tions that ensue, that is, for pure worldly reasons, they 
will fail as they always have heretofore. 

The only way to success is to take the pacifie attt- 
tude, which is invulnerably based on the immaculate 
Word of God, as it is revealed and recorded in the New 
Testament, that of love and peace and good will and 
forgiveness of enemies, they will succeed, otherwise, 
my counsel is, to abstain from all affiliation with the 
movement. It will only result in dishonor to our Lord 
and a practical repudiation of His gospel. 

These reputed Christian organizations are now face 
to face with the awful, fateful responsibility of pre- 
venting all wars in the future and if they refuse to em- 
ploy the remedy, as suggested heretofore, the blood of 
future wars will be laid at their doors. This grave 


oy 
4 
3 





WHY WARIS WRONG 137 





charge was emphasized with prophetie force some time 
ago by Major General Bliss of the General staff of the 
U.S. Army and it is corroborated by specifie statemenr 
of the holy prophets of the great God. 

If the watehman seeth the sword coming on the land 
and they fail to warn the people, the people will perish 
and their blood will be required at the prophets’ hands. 

If our efforts and purposes in behalf of reconstrue- 
tion are inspired by honest motives we must raise the 
royal banner of our Lord and Master with the message 
of peace and love emblazoned on it and all the demons 
of hell eannot defeat us. 


oo 
—_~ 
——— 


SPECIFIC REASONS WHY CARNAL WAR IS 
WRONG 

When we hear the awful story of the world war, as 
it is told by the soldiers who were face to face with it, 
it brings to us unmistakably the conviction that mod- 
ern war, as a means of settling international disputes, 
is a monstrous wrong for the following reasons: 

(1) Beeause of the inevitable wholesale destruction 
of human life. Ten millions of the flower of the youth 
of the world lie buried on the battle fields of Europe. 
Besides these, thirty millions of non-combatants have 
already been killed by the five camp followers of mod-. 
ern wars, namely, further wars, revolutions, famine, 
pestilence, and disease. 

(2) Because of the enormous national loss, the waste 
and destruction of wealth, and the staggering burden 
of debt left upon the nations which has increased ten 
fold by the last war. Moreover war mortgages the 
future by the ever increasing race for trade dominion. 
Now, since Germany is disarmed, Europe has increased 
her annual expenditure for war, compared with the 


pre-war standard, three times. 


(3) Because war inevitably engenders hatred, cruel- 


138 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





ty, reprisals, atrocities, and counter activities. The 
propaganda of modern warfare victimizes the people 
on both sides, and’ leads to a loss of truth and demoral- 
ization of victor and vanquished alike. We must be 
told an unbroken story of many atrocities. Every un- 
favorable fact about ourselves and our allies must be 
silenced. 

(4) Because modern warfare, as illustrated in the 
world war, dehumanizes mankind and develops the an- 
imal instincts, and turns the tide and trend of human 
development backward and downward to the low stage 
of our barbaric ancestors. It minimizes the efforts of 
our moral and spiritual leaders to purge the people 


from the degradation of satanic inspiration and max- — 


imizes the aspiration of the enemies of human advance 
ment. 

(5) Because it glorifies the spiritual enemy of man- 
kind, the prince of the power of the air, the flamed 
prince of evil, the arch-enemy of our Lord and Master. 
His mission is to destroy, and take from us the joy of 
life and the hope of another life, and carnal war is the 
most efficient instrument to accomplish that purpose. 
When a person enters the armies of the world, he auto- 
matically surrenders the hope of eternal life. 

(6) Because it antagonizes and destroys the work of 
the immaculate God, the Father of our Savior, whose 
mission in this world was that ‘‘we might have life and 
have it more abundantly.’’ True religion saves life, 
war destroys life. 

(7) Because it is antagonistic to the spirit of our 
Savior. The fruits of His spirit are love, joy, peace, 
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
patience, temperance. The spirit of carnal war is abso- 
lutely antipodal to each and all of these traits. 

(8) Because its mission is to desolate homes, make 
widows of loving wives, and orphans of helpless chil- 
dren. 


OUR LORD AND SATAN IN ALLIANCE 139 


— 


(9) Because its triumph would be the triumph of 
Satan. 

(10 Because it represents every characteristic of 
Satan in every element, and purpose, and administra- 
tion, and temperament, and is antipodial to every char- 
acteristic and every element and purpose and adminis- 
tration and temperament of our Lord. 

(11) Beeause carnal war contravenes every senti- 
ment, every feature, every emotion, every impulse, 
every argument, every testimony, every attribute, 
every suggestion, every implication, every characteris- 
tic, of the New Testament, and of the life of our Lora 
and Master; and self respect, and a sane regard for 
the honor of our Savior forbids a counter contention. 
The chapter in this volume on ‘‘A Compilation of Pas- 
sages in the New Testament against Carnal War’’ is 
an mecomplete summary of testimonies against it and 
nothing but acute spiritual blindness can obseure their 
radiant effulgence. 

These are only a few additional reasons, or rather the 
same reasons presented in a different form, why the 
peoples of the world should abhor war and love peace. 
The primal object of this volume is to present to open 
minds such an abundance of reasons against such sa- 
tanic policies, that the launching of wars by wicked 
rulers in the future will be impossible. That such re- 
sults may ensue we will devoutly pray. 


——— 


~——— 


OUR LORD AND SATAN IN ALLIANCE 


Let us hope that our readers will not be shocked at 
the incongruous statement of the above heading. The 
sentiment is based on the following clipping from a 
current magazine. Read it in the glare of the brilliant 
light of the words of our Savior. 

‘‘Members of the clergy, the great majority of them 
with war experience, and graduates of the army chap- 


140 — CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


lain schools,*at home or in France are well represented 
in the officers’ corps of the army. About six hundred 
commissions, as reserve army chaplains have been 
issued. They inelude five majors, sixty captains, and 
the remainder lieutenants. By denominations the dis- 
tribution is as follows: Roman Catholies, 165; Method- 
ists, 115; Baptist, 91; Presbyterian, 71; Episcopal, 54; 
Disciples of Christ, (what a misnomer) 31; Congrega- 
tional, 23, and other sects 50. There are now 181 chap- 
lains in the regular army, that number ineluding 41. 
Methodist, 32 Catholic, 26 Baptist, me the remainder 
of the lesser denominational groups.’ 

There is something most horribly tragic in the eondi- 
tions suggested by the foregoing survey of the attitude 
of the reputed Christian organizations of our country 
toward carnal war. It is fair and logical to conclude 
that the membership of these organizations, in civil life, 
clerical and laity, are in perfect accord with these 
chaplains. This completes and sustains the charge 
made in other chapters in this book that the allianee 
and consequent harmony between the professed disci- 
ples of our Lord and Satan, as he is represented in the 
war activities of the nations, is absolutely complete. 

These chaplains are ordained by the laws of their - 
organizations to preach and practice the doctrines of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is recorded in the New Tes- 
tament. Those doctrines embody the principles of love, 
peace, forgiveness of enemies, in hundreds of specific 
passages. 

They meet the crucial test when they meet their con- 
eregations, all of whom are bedecked with the army 
paraphernalia, the prescribed Khaki, on the holy Sun- 
day morning, in the sanctuary appointed for the wor- 
ship of God. By hundreds of passages, with out a di- 
vergent note, they are in honor bound to preach the 
words of their Lord which makes the practice of love 
and peace and good will and love of enemies vital, as 


OUR LORD AND SATAN IN ALLIANCE 141 


vital as the divinity of Christ. Do they measure up to 
the standard? Do they tell the officers and privates of 
these organizations that they must love their enemies, 
that they must forgive their enemies, that if they kill 
their brethren in war they practice ‘‘the love of Cain,’’ 
that they who ‘‘hate their brethren are murderers,’’ 
that ‘‘war is hell,’’ and that hell and Satan are synony- 
mous, that if they do not manifest the love that our 
Lord taught they could not be saved, that ‘if they hear 
the sayings of Christ and do them not, they are like 
the fool who built his house on the sand,’’ and that ‘‘if 
we say we love the Lord and do not keep His com- 
mands, we are liars?’’ Do they preach the aforesaid 
doctrines and thus clear their holy vestments of tne 
blood of lost souls? 

I opine they do not. If they did they would be dis- 
honorably discharged at once. All who know the bar- 
barie discipline of the army know that such proceed- 
ings would be tabooed, without mercy. 

Those chaplains are decorated (I will say desecrated) 
with the military titles of Majors, Captains, Lieuten- 
ants. The titles that have the sanction of our Master 
are Bishops, ministers, deacons. What would we think 
of the suggestion that it would be in conformity with 
the will of our Lord! to give to the Apostles such, mili- 
tary titles, such as, Major Peter, Colonel John, Lieu- 
tenant James, and so on to the limit of carnal arro- 
gance? 

When we see unmistakable evidence of the alliance 
- of the reputed ministers of our Lord with Satan and 
his ministers, are we to be surprised when we read the 
declaration in our daily papers that ‘‘ Christianity has 
failed,’’ that ‘‘the church has become decadent,’’ that 
‘‘we are relapsing backward, downward to barbar- 
ism,’’ that ‘‘men’s hearts are failing them for fear, and 
for looking after those things which are coming on the 
earth.’ Luke 21 :26. | 


142 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Let the readers of this book resolve in their hearts, 
with the help of the Lord, to put the ban everlastingly, 
on the treasonable alliance between a false clergy and 
Satan. 


PARADOXICAL 


It is interesting to note, in passing through the mul- 
tifarious stages of current history, the. infinite varia- 


tions and complications that issue from the perform- 


ance of the nations. 
Let us note a few of the features of paradoxical dem- 


onstrations, as they appear in the activities of the relig- 


lous organizations of the world. 

The greatest book that was ever published since the 
world began is the New Testament. It is absolutely 
incomparable; in a class by itself. Its founder was a 
dual spiritual and physical organism fashioned after 
the similitude of organisms of the spirit world, and of 
this material world. 

He launched a movement that would make this world 
a duplicate of Heaven, and stressed it by an immacu- 
late life. 

The keynote of the book is love, joy, peace, love the 
basis, and joy and peace the product. As a thread of 
gold, it runs through every page, from Matthew to 
Revelation. It emblazons every sentiment and every 
characteristic. It heralds the beginning of the wonder- 
ful movement by the angelic proclamation. ‘‘ Behold 
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the 
world,’’ John 1:29, and closes with the annunciation 
of the descent of the Holy city from Heaven, in which 
was ‘‘the throne of God and of the Lamb.’’ Revelations 
2221. 

There are approximately 600,000,000 people in the 
world who bear a close denominational relation to the 
founder and doctrines of the book; about one-third of 


< “e 
a 


PARADOXICAL 143 





the world’s population. These people are divided into 
numerous organizations, called churches, and they have 
an ample retinue of officials, bishops, preachers, dea- 
cons, elders, who administer their rituals and preach 
their doctrines. 

The remainig 1,200,000,000 people are without know- 
ledge of the religion of the New Testament. 

Now let us note the paradox. 

For some 1,500 years the nations which have had ex- 
clusive possessions of these doctrines have been prac- 
tically the only people who have continuously practiced 
the military policies, and have been engaged in war 
with each other, of such savagery that adequate deserip- 
tion is impossible, and, in all of these countries and 
in all of the bloodiest of wars, the officials and mem- 
bers of these religious organizations have been the most 
active and efficient sponsors and leaders. This condi- 
tion was demonstrated with tremendous vehemencs 
during the late world war. The only participants were 
the nations who have exclusive possession of the relig- 
ion of the New Testament, and the only nations which 
are outside of the sacred pale, were the only nations 
which were at peace among themselves. This condi- 
tion has prevailed for hundreds of years. Could there 
be a paradox more conspicuous, or more suggestive of 
the absolute blindness of the militant religious organ- 
izations? Could there be? 

Two of the greatest of the non-christian nations, the 
Chinese and East Indians, numbering about one-third 
of the human race, are characteristically peaceful. 
China has not had an embroilment internationally, for 
hundreds of years. The Boxer outbreak was the pro- 
test of a faction which had, for its purpose, the expul- 
sion of the leaders and organizations of the missionary 
movement. 

India has not been involved in an international war 
for centuries. The Sepoy rebellion was a movement to 


144 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


expel the English government which had, by intrigue 
and deception, obtained control of the government, and 
had used it to exploit the country in the interest of an 
English corporation, namely, the East India Company. 

To emphasize the paradoxical conditions that pre- 
vailed relative to the attitude of the religious organi- 
zations and, their spokesmen, and that of the leaders 
of the religious elements in India toward carnal war, 
note the excerpt from a current magazine which ex- 
plains a very suggestive spiritual phenomena. 4 

The author of the extract, Mr. Ghandi, is an eminent 
leader of a movement to obtain from the usurping Eng- 
lish rulers certain concessions relative to the adminis- 
tration of local political affairs. He is speaking an an- 
tagonism of the military policies of the English Gov- 
crnment. 

On August 11, 1920, he wrote: 

‘‘T believe that non-violence is infinitely superior to 
violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment. 
Forgiveness adorns a soldier. 

‘“‘T only want to use India for a noble purpose. 
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It 
comes from an indomitable will. Non-violence is the 
law of our species, as violence is the law of the brute. 
The spirit lies dormant in the brute and he knows no 
law but that of physical might. The dignity of man 
requires obedience to a higher law, to the strength of 
the spirit. 

‘‘Non-violence, in its dynamic condition, means con- 
scious suffering. It means the putting of one’s soul 
against the will of the tyrant. 

‘‘Working under this law of our living it is possible 
for a single individual to defy the whole might of an 
unjust empire to save his soul, his honor, his religion, 
and lay the foundation for that empire’s fall or its re- 
generation. 
~ “Tam not pleading for India to practice non-violence 


PARADOXICAL 145 


because it is weak. I want her to practice non violence 
being conscious of her strength. No training in arms is 
required for the realization of her strength. We seem 
to need it because we are but a lump of flesh. I want 
India to recognize that she has a soul that cannot per- 
ish, and that can rise triumphant above every physical 
weakness and defy the physical combination of a whole 
world.’’ 

Note the editorial comment. 

If such sentiments seem to you fantastic and imprac- 

- tical, then you must realize two things besides. 

First, the reason why Colonel Wedgewood, M. P. 
(Member of Parliament) a good Briton and a_ good 
Christian said that Ghandi’s was the only name in 
history (profane) which would be coupled with that of 
Jesus and without sacrilege in such use. 

The other, that the whole of the reputed Christian 
world is as far from being Christian as England is from 
understanding, either Jesus or Ghandi. 

The arrest and punishment of such leaders (Ghandi 
is now under arrest for sedition) as Ghandi have never, 
in the past injured their cause. Will the British, who 
hypoeritically pride themselves on their national su- 
periority, carry the parallel to the bitter end? 

Let the reader consider this grave question, the em- 
ployment of violence, in the light of the immaculate 
Word, the inspired Word of the immaculate Son of 
God. | 

I will give another demonstration of the paradoxical 
‘conditions as they have existed in the relation of re- 
puted Christian, with non-christian countries. The es- 
tablishment of the East India Company, an English 
corporation in India, ultimately resulted in the usurpa- 
tion of the functions of government of the country by 
the English nation and their consequent monopoly of 
industries of the country. 

One of the most profitable of these industries was 


146 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


the cultivation and trade in opium, one of the most per- 
nicious intoxicating drugs. 
The corporation sought to open a market in China 


for the drug, but the Chinese government opposed the 


movement by every means in their power, by stringent 
laws rigidly enforced. In order to force the govern- 
ment to acquiesce, the English government launched 
what is known in history as ‘‘The Opium War’’ which 
resulted in the destruction of the anti-opium opposition 
and the flooding of the country with poison and con- 
sequent moral and physical deterioration of the Chinese 
nation and the annexation of the city of Hong Kong, 
one of the most important seaports of the far East, to 
the English colonial possessions. This unspeakable 
tragedy, international outrage, was perpetuated by a 
reputed Christian nation, on a non Christian people 
and serves to emphasize the pertinancy of the subject 


of this chapter, that besmirches the fair name of the 


Founder of the best religious system that the supreme 
Sovereign of all the world has given to our lost world. 





Sees 


HYPOCRISY 


It is interesting to note, in current literature, the 
reasons why many of the advocates of war take an 
attitude adverse thereto. They will plead the excessive 
cost and resultant taxation, beyond the limit of the 
people’s ability to pay. Their estimates show a heavy 
percentage involved, and they shudder at the thought 
that wars are becoming so expensive, and ask legisla- 
tion to meet the issue. Another pleads moral degener- 





acy and deplores the maladministration of war which — 


do not protect the soldier from its inevitable contam- 
imations. Another sees in war a menace to our civiliza- 
tion and pleads for policies that will meet the gravity 
of the conditions. He urges statesment and diplomats 
to employ the resources of reason to meet national and 





i i ee —— 








HYPOCRISY 147 


international emergencies. Another pleads the sacri- 
fice of human life as a cogent reason why our rulers 
should adopt different agencies in the adjustment or 
controversies. | 


While these pessimists are deploring the near and re- 


mote tragedies of war and urges immediate considera- 


tion of constructive policies, they unite in glorifying © 
the warrior in song and story, by the press and pulpit, 
in shouting and parade. Our histories are mainly rec- 
ords of military exploits and eulogies and exaltations 
of the battle fields and the conquering heroes. 


They unite in damning, with faint praise, or reviling, 
with unvenomed tongue, the pacifists whose fear of, 
and loyalty to his Lord and Master forbids participa- 
tion in war, or affiliation, in any way, with the pro- 
fessional militarist. Social ostracism, public obloquy, 


defamation of his claims to loyalty to country, asper- 


sion of his motives, vicious accusation of hypocrisy, and 
other equally unbrotherly forms of vituperation are 
their method of expressing hostility to the attitude of 


the peacemaker. 


But we do not complain. In fact we grow stronger 
in our will to stand’: immovable on this invulnerable 
rock. We do not mistake the quality of the service we 
render the loving Master when we testify, in word and 
deed, in behalf of the doctrines of the brotherhood of 


man and the Fatherhood of God. 


Were it otherwise we would lose the strongest actor 


in our schedule of service to our Lord. Persecution by 


the militarists is an assurance that our cause is right- 
eous. ‘‘Blessed are ye when ye are persecuted for 
righteousness sake for yours is the kingdom of 


 Heaven.’’ 


There is but one inspiration for the belief in and 


_ practice of the peace doctrine. That is found in the 
_ hundreds of passages in the New Testament in favor 


148 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





of peace, and love, in direct contradiction, of the prae- 
tice of war and hate. 

It is not based on worldly policies, on the science of — 
economics, on humanitarism, on any one or on all of 
human contrivances, but on simply ‘‘thus saith the 
Lord, simply ‘‘thou shalt not,’’ and ‘‘thou shalt.’’ We 
are not permitted to ask that our Lord shall come to 
our council table and confab and! bandy suggestions 
back and forth. We are not permitted to suggest the 
impracticability of His commands or plead their ideal-— 
istic nature. We are not permitted to make reply or 
to ask the reason why, but simply to do or die. 

Shall a worm say to the infinite God, ‘‘Why madest 
thou me thus?’’ Shall mortal man exalt himself above - 
the infinite Sovereign of the heavens? Shall this —lili- 
putian atom of a day, this helpless mite of a_ fleeting 
hour, here today, tomorrow gone forever, say to the 
eternal God ‘‘what doest thou?’’ 

There is no more unspeakable evidence of insincerity — 
than what we note in the attitude of the spiritual lead-— 
ers of the world toward carnal war. 

Some months ago two of the most celebrated pugil-— 
ists of the world, Dempsey and Carpentier, staged a 
trial of professional skill to come off in the state of — 
New Jersey. Now a fight with just two fists, or a fight 
between a bull and a matador, or a bout between two 
cocks, is about the most harmless demonstration of the - 
human infirmity of blood lust that we can witness in 
this world. Yet the laws of reputed civilized, nations, — 
seek to forbid them by specific legal statutes. They — 
are regarded as demonstrations of the brute instinct 
and that instinct is gratified in the sight and smell of 
blood gushing from animal veins. . 

But let me say it in the whisper and silence of the 
deepest caverns, these same spiritual leaders sponsor 
and applaud and glorify, in the most colorful phrase, 
the killing of millions of innocent men, conscripted and 





HYPOCRISY 149 


manacled and dragged from their homes and families, 
their wives and children, and forced to face each other 
on the battle field by the most inexecrable orders, dis- 
obedience of which is punished by instant death. 

At a conference of the clerical representatives of one 


; of the strongest of the religious organizations in a 
Western town, a petition was formulated and ad- 
' dressed to the Governor of the State of New Jersey 


requesting him to take such action as would be neces- 
sary to prevent the meeting of the pugilists. Yet at a 


conference of clericals of the same organization in an- 


other state, before our entrance into the European war, 


refused to sign a petition, asking our Federal adminis- 
tration to abstain from affiliating with the belligerents, 


— 
. 


and afterwards they became the most efficient recruit- 
ing agents to facilitate enlistment in the armies and 


applauded the movement to the uttermost. 


There is but one way to characterize such a proce- 


dure. In Matthew 23, Our Lord met the same charac- 
_ ters and his jud'gment against them is pertinent against 


——se 


their successors of this age. 
After a full deseription of their performances, He 
concluded the arraignment in verse 24, in language in- 


_eapable of misinterpretation, ‘‘Ye blind guides, ye 
‘strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.’’ Is not this bur- 
 lesque on honesty worthy of the severest censure and 
provocative of the most terrible judgment equivalent 
to that which our Lord pronounced against their phar- 
_ isaical ancestors? Let us note a few of them. ‘‘ Woe 


unto you seribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make 
clean the outside of the cup and platter but within they 
are full of extortion and excess Woe unto you scribes 


and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited' sep- 
~ulchers, which indeed appear beautiful without but in- 


: 





~ uneleanness.’ 


wardly they are full of dead men’s bones and of all 
’ Read the entire chapter. 
I referred to the pugilistic bout, the bull fight, and 


— : is es! ee Ry Y 
>} rid PERRO tee ay ty 
$ he a? y) 
Ae ae uy 


150 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


the cock fight, which has been tabooed by reputed civ-— 
ilized countries. Did the readers of these pages ever 


see one of these performances? In the first case two big 
bullies, plain fools, meet each other in the presence of 
a few thousand other sillier fools, and they proceed to 
mash each other’s noses, and blacken an eye or two, and, 
may be, bruise a few muscles, and then get away with 
a few thousand soiled dollars. In the ease of the bull 
fight, a fool, just a simple fool, gets a red rag and the 
bull sees it, gets angry, and make a plunge for it. 
The Matador, the simple fool, pierces the bull’s heart 
and he, the bull, is hurried to the shambles and sold 
to the public, and the few thousand fools, who wit- 
nessed the tragedy or comedy, scurry back to the dance 
hall, and the saloon, and finish the day glorifying the 
skill of the Matador, the fool with the red rag. 


About the same with the patron of the cock fight, 
just the killing of a few bloodthirsty roosters. That is 
all. Blood thirst is contagious, and the more we see 
of such performanees, the deeper the brutish passion for 
blood sinks into our hearts, and transforms our souls, 
until we attain to the image and likeness of Satan. 


We have been entertained with the trend of senti- 


ment and’ action on the part of the spiritual leaders 
and public men generally, in relation to the intensely 
human trait of blood letting, in its various phases. A 
specialty of the features in which this trait has been 
manifested has been somewhat elaborately presented, 
the prize fight, the bull fight, and the cock fight. It has 
been noted that the magnates, referred to heretofore, 
have been unanimous in opposition to such demonstra- 
tions of the brute instinet, and have enacted drastic 
laws forbidding them. 


We want to present to our readers a most amazing 
demonstration of inconsistency on the part of these 
magnates in their attitude toward carnal war. To say 





q 


HYPOCRISY 151 


there is no pertinacy between the aforementioned cases 
and carnal war would be a silly waste of words. 


We will particularize so that there will be no dispute 
as to the allegation. In the Civil War, in the United 
States in the sixties of the past century, seven hun- 
dred thousand men were slain on the battle fields and 
died in the hospitals. In the late World war, ten 
millions of men were slain on the battle fields, and 
twenty millions were wounded and maimed for life. 
Over thirty millions of civilians, mostly children, per- 
ished from famine and pestilence. 


These imstances will suffice to present the contrast 
between the belligerent: phases of the combative pro- 
pensities of unregenerate human nature. 


The point which we wish to impress is the attitude 
of the spiritual leaders of the militant churches toward 
these demonstrations, their intensified, enthusiastic ap- 
proval and justification of carnal war, anent their con- 
demnation of the sporting performances, the pugilist 
and his pals among the lower animals. 


Let us note a few additional statistics of the trage- 
dies of carnal war and, that among countries claiming 
the distinction of civilization and enlightenment. In the 
three days fighting in the battle of Gettysburg, 35,000 


* Americans were killed. I was on a battle field in Vir- 


ginia, six months after the battle and I saw swime eat- 
ing the wasting bodies of half buried soldiers. In one 
of the battles in the late European war, 3,000 wounded 
men were lying on their stretchers in front of a Base 
hospital under a drenching rain because there was no 
more room for them in the hospital. 

These are isolated instances which stress the un- 
speakable horrors of carnal war, and yet, in full view 
of the awful scene, there is not a word of protest from 
our spiritual leaders, but rather eulogies, commenda- 
tions, fulsome flattery of the living and praise and 


152 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





adulation o:*the dead, and unsparing denunciation of 
those religious organizations which oppose war. 

Can it be possible that perverted human nature, sa- 
tanic inspiration, or obsession of spiritual vision, would 
suggest more absolute evidence of inconsistency or 
more absolute evidence of inconsistency or more con- 
temptuous hypoerisy ? 

In these comments and criticisms it is not intended 


to censure the masses who follow such leaders. They 
are innocent, suffering victims of the wiles of Satan . 


and must pay, in torture, for the misfortune of such 
conditions. Further, there have been isolated cases 
among those organizations where clerical officials took 
strenuous ground in opposition to carnal war, and, by 


that token, they are free from the blood of the innocent. 


dead and the destruction of moral standards, the inev- 
liable aftermath of all wars. 


—_— 
a 
— 


PUGILISM, ALIAS CARNAL WAR 


Condemnation of a pugilistie mill arranged to take 
place in Jersey City, New Jersey, was expressed in 
resolutions adopted by a body of clericals in the United 
States of America. Note the same which are, in sub- 
stanee, published below. 

Whereas, the eeu mill that is advertised to be 
staged in Jersey City, N. J., on July 2nd is a demon- 
stration of moral depravity unbefitting a Christian 
nation. And, whereas, it will tend to familiarize our 
youth with the bane of fisticuffs and bloodshed. And, 
whereas, it will tend to deaden our sensibilities regard- 
ing physical suffering, self inflicted. And whereas it 
is a reproach to our country where the large religious 
organizations dominate public sentiments. 

Therefore, we hereby resolve. First, that we enter 
our protest against its advertised performance. Second, 
that we petition the governmental officials to take sueh 








PUGILISM ALIAS CARNAL WAR 153 


action as will be necessary to prevent the performance. 
Third, that we eall on other religious organizations to 
co-operate with us in this movement. Fourth, that we 
send a copy of these resolutions to the Governor and 
Legislature of N. J. and to the daily press of the coun- 
UA eae 

If you want a demonstration of the absolute dead- 
ness of moral and spiritual sensibilities of a great re- 
ligious organization, compare the above transcript of 
resolutions against a fisticuff mill with the refusal of 
the same organization to favor resolutions asking our 
federal government to oppose the alignment of our 
country with the belligerents in the world war. 


The following resolutions were presented to a confer- 
ence of ministers in a Southern city and were defeated 
by a three-fourths majority. 

Whereas, there is a well developed and administered 
propaganda, now operating in this country, to align us 
with the belligerents of the world war in Europe. And, 
whereas, such a movement would be a ealamity to our 
country. 


And, whereas, the churches of America have a con- 
trolling influence on the policies of our government. 

And, whereas, the Holy Scriptures of which we are 
ordained custodians, forbid war. 

And, whereas, we are specifically taught therein to 
love our enemies. 

Therefore, we, the ministers of the Protestant 
churches of the city do hereby resolve: 

1. That we register our testimony against carnal 
war as a means of adjusting international econtrover- 
sles. 

2. That we proclaim our allegiance to our Lord by 
preserving intact the doctrine of the brotherhood of 
man and the Fatherhood of God, as vital conditions of 
church membership. 


154 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


3. That we petition our rulers to preserve our neu- 
trality in the cause of the present European war. 

4. That we send a copy of these resolutions to the 
Secretary of War and our President and to our repre- 
sentatives in Congress. 

o. That we eall on our sister churches to join us in 
this movement. 

The paper recording the above resolutions was read 
and discussed by the members of the conference and 
when put to a vote was overwhelmingly defeated. 


This impressive evidence of pitiful, censurable, in- © 


consistency, places a great religious organization in a 
shameful pose before a reputed Christian world. This 


organization had repeated opportunities to ‘‘condemn’’ 
the movement of the nations in their mad war mMmea- — 


sures, but there is no evidence that they ever took such 
action. Will they now redeem themselves by engraft- 
ing in their denominational schedule, a provision plac- 
ing the doctrines of pacifism among the conditions of 
membership? It is as vital as the doctrine of the di- 
vinity of Christ, His virgin birth, His resurrection, the 
personality of the Holy Ghost, the absolute sovereignty 
of God, the inspiration of the Scriptures. Without love 
the antipode of war, all these doctrines are ‘‘sounding 
brass.’’ 
INTER-AFFILIATION 

It is of vital importance that we know something 
definite of the principles and policies of organizations 
with which we propose to affiliate. Our associates have 
a dominant influence over our convictions, and’ deter- 
mine largely our activities. In a measure they deter- 
mine our ultimate destiny. 

Fundamental principles cannot be compromised. 
There can be no substitute for them, Policies can be 
adjusted to meet changing conditions and emergencies. 
Fundamental principles never change. 


nl 


INTER-AFFILIATION 155 





The mterchurch movement for instance has been con- 
ceived and launched by reputed Christian organiza- 
tions to meet emergencies of intensive gravity. The 
conditions now prevailing throughout the earth were 
never more chaotic, never so fateful as they are now. 

The politician, the statesman, the philosopher, the 
scientist, the moralist, the pseudo theologian, have all 
failed tragically to preserve the foundations on which 
the whole structure of humanity is based. 

The reason why they have failed is found conclusive- 
ly in the fact that the chief corner stone of the struc- 
ture has been studiously, persistently ignored and de- 
spised, and that corner stone is the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the synonym of that magic personality is Love. 
There has been much offensive prating, in high ecclesi- 
astic circles, about the ‘‘brotherhood of man’’ and ‘‘the 
fetherhood of God,’’ but when they come to the expo- 
sition of these loving relations they fumed and floun- 
dered and fell and a war stricken world tells the sequel 
of the tragedy. 

A few conerete examples will show the trend of the 
ominous signs of the times. 

In a town of several thousand people in Florida, a 
minister of one of the strongest churches expounded 
the thirteenth chapter of Ist Corinthians. In his expo- 
sition he exalted ‘‘Love’’ above every thing else in the 
schedule of the principles on which the plan of salva- 
tion is based. As he greeted us at the door, when the 
- congregation was dispersing, he was asked if we could 
kill our enemies in war. He replied with some con- 
fusion, that ‘‘the question was a hard one.’’ 

On the Sunday following, he explained to me prt- 
vately ‘‘that we should kill our enemies in self 
defense’’ and in his sermon he berated the ‘‘ wicked 
Huns’’ vociferously, and said our Lord came to bring 
a sword and it was our duty to use it. 

In another town we attended the Sunday school ser- 


156 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


vice when the 15th verse of chapter 3 of Ist John was 
the subject of the lesson. ‘‘He that hateth his brother 
is a murderer.’’? We plead for the doctrine of love and 
peace. The pastor who was our teacher said in reply 
that ‘‘in theory our position was right but it was not 
practical in present world conditions.’’ 

On our homeward journey we shared a section in the 
Pullman with a brilliant clerical of a strong organiza- 
tion. The question of war and religion occupied the 
most of our time and no militarist of the most radical 
type could have objected to his attitude in favor of 
war. He said that the reason our Lord did not seem 
to advocate militarism was because, at that time, all 
the nations were at peace with each other, inferentially, 
that had wars then prevailed, He would have taught 
differently. By way of emphasizing his personal atti- 
tude he said, ‘‘he kept a loaded gun in his house, (pre- 
sumably under his pillow) for the protection of his 
family.’’ 

Jn our observations for half a century, there has been 
no variation of the forementioned incidents in_ their 
bearing on the subject of our relation to war. Again, 
we offered to endow, an annual prize essay on the sub- 
ject of the Incompatibility of War and Christianity, 
the contestants to be students in the law schools of 
Virginia, the same to be established at the Washington 
and Lee University at Lexington, Virginia, as a per- 
petual memorial to our beloved son, Daniel Clovis, who 
was a member of the faculty, and who was taken to 
France and ruthlessly sacrificed on the bloody altar of 
the pagan war god. We were hopeful that the contin- 
uous exposition of the question of Satanic war would 
create a sentiment averse to that method of settling in- 
international disputes, and, ultimately, be the effective 
means of saving the precious lives of the young man- 
hood of the nations. 

The leading officers of the school, most of whom hold 


INTER-AFFILIATION | 157 





high rank in the churches, replied that ‘‘they could not 
accept the memorial on our terms or on any modifica- 
tion of them.’’ I refer to the foregoing instances to 
show how practically unanimous the leaders of the re- 
ligious and professional organizations are against any 
concerted movement to eliminate war from the policies 
of the nations of the world. It also emphasizes the pit- 
iful fact that when the acid test comes to them they 
are practically one in advocacy of war. The late war 
gives conclusive evidence that the reputed Christian or- 
ganizations do not oppose war. The governments 
which were involved consist exclusively of professed 
believers in the New Testament and yet there was not 
one official protest against it from the ordained minis- 
ters, bishops, or arch bishops, and they are responsible 
for all the bloodshed and the ruin, and all the broken 
hearts, and blighted homes. The murder of the millions 
slain is laid at their doors. 


It emphatically aligns them with the agencies which 
inspire the persecution of those who follow in the steps 
of the immaculate Lamb of God, and fulfils the specific 
declaration that ‘‘they who live godly lives shall suffer 
persecution.’’ Let me say in behalf of our people and 
our doctrine of love and peace that when we reach that 
stage when we must choose between killing our breth- 
ren in war or persecution, our choice is irrevocably de- 
termined, 


In view of conditions which the foregoing defines 
there is but one course for us to pursue and that is ab- 
solute refusal to affiliate with these military organiza- 
tions. They only consist of the flimsy patchwork of un- 
regenerate hearts and minds and can only produce a 
mirage as delusive as human nature can conceive. 


They are responsible for the orgy of blood and mur- 
der of the late war, by advocacy, by connivance, and by 
refusal to testify against it, and, until they bring forth 


158 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


fruits meet for repentance, we can have no part with 
them. 

I have spoken heretofore largely of what the leaders 
of the churches have done as sponsors of the late war 
in order to emphasize their utter unworthiness as lead- 
ers in any religious movement. 

Christian education is becoming a question of intense 
interest. Will more extensive, intensive educational 
methods for the masses in the reputed Christian coun- 
tries, lift them! to higher moral and religious planes? A 
casual survey of tangible facts justifies the broad 
statement that wars, which are the prolific source of all 
human woe, are not fomented and launched by the un- 
educated classes. They are simply helpless victims of 
the satanic work of the educated classes. If these help- 
less people were the arbiter of the destinies of the 
nations there would be no wars, and consequently no 
need of measures to reconstruct devastated lands and 
resuscitating the moral lapses of the people. 

The late huge butchery was wholly conceived and 
mastered by the most thoroughly educated men of the 
world. The nations involved have the only effective 
system of education for all classes. The ehief man 
among them, he who ‘‘kept us out of the war’’ during 
his first presidential term, and who got us into it dur- 
ing his second term, and who, thereby, is practically re- 
sponsible for all the unspeakable horrors that have be- 
fallen us, is a prince among the alumni of the greatest 
school of the world, and exalts himself as the greatest 
of the great, and his most efficient helpers were solely 
of the highest of the educated! classes. 

These facts, being uncontested, it would only inten- 
sify and perpetuate the satanic carnival of blood and 
murder, to waste a half a billion dollars to educate a 
war mad people, above present standards. 

Let us note one interesting feature of our present 
system of education which has the enthusiastic endorse- 





— 
— 


INTER-AFFILIATION 159 


ment of the religious organizations, that of the ‘‘Boy 
Scouts.’’ In the very inecipiency of their mental train- 
ing process, the satanic militaristic spirit fastens its 
strangle hold on their young hearts, and poisons every 
source of moral and’ spiritual power. The millions de- 
signed for religious education can only result in mak- 
ing its beneficiaries more efficient in supporting the 
policies and activities of the military class. If they 
will adopt the resolutions which launch the era of peace 
and love among the nations of the world, if the new 
‘‘education’’ embraces that feature, then the millions 
will be used to the praise of God and not to the honor 
of Satan, otherwise the farther the ‘‘religious educs- 
tion’’ extends the nearer the world is to the brink of 
the bottomless pit. The houses which they have dedi- 
cated to the worship of ‘‘the Lamb of God’’ have been 
desecrated by vindictive war propaganda and by the 
display of flags representing the bloodthirsty enemies 
of the doctrine of the brotherhoods of the nations, and 
by the rapturous singing of worldly songs. 

Again, their open and avowed hostility to the paci- 
fism of our Lord and to those who teach that doctrine 
will be a constant source of friction and danger to our 
people. There is no more affinity between us than there 
is between the wolf and the lamb. 

There is but one remedy for the ills of the world and 
that is regeneration; a change of heart. They substi- 
tute for it, schemes inspired by unregenerate human 
nature, and they reject the only agency which will 
bring victory, the agency of the Holy Ghost, which 
brings to our remembrance all things which our loving 
Lord taught, and the supreme basis of His teaching was 
‘<the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God.’’ 

In this chapter there may be seeming severity in the 


| alignments and! characterizations, but the blood of our 


darling son Clovis, who was slain in the world war, 
with millions additional, cries out of the ground against 


160 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





them, and their feeble attempt to provide for future 
emergencies does not mitigate their guilt or guarantee 
the country against its continuous recurrence. 


oo 
Se 
tiie 


THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE REPUTED CHRIS- 
TIAN ORGANIZATIONS OF THE WORLD 


There are, at this writing, some hundreds of religious 
organizations which claim the inspiration of the Holy 
Ghost, in the formation of their doctrines and policies 
and rituals. They seem to be a unit in matters pertain- 
ing to the attributes of the Supreme God and of His 
Son and the Holy Ghost. 


They claim the high office of leadership of the nations 
in morals and governmental policies and activities and, 
in a large measure, are the arbiters of the standards by 
which the nations are governed. 


They also advertise, from the house-top of every 
oceasion, and the highway of every opportunity, that 
they are in perfect accord with the immaculate Gali- 
lean, in the doctrines on which the salvation of the 
souls of the people are guaranteed. 

Yet, among the 600,000,000 of people who constitute 
these organizations there is the small percentage of 
about 500,000 who affirm absolute loyalty to the doc- 
trine of brotherly love and peace and good will, and 
esteem it the basis of the entire religious system which 
aur Lord brought from Heaven, and,on which alone, we 
have assurance of a place at God’s right hand in the 
coming judgment. 

These pro-war organizations take this position, in full 
view of the momentous fact that there are hundreds of 
specific passages in the inspired Scriptures that uni- 
formly testify in behalf of love and peace and forgive- 
ness of enemies, and they further abet and connive at 


PSYCHOLOGY OF ORGANIZATIONS 161 


the infliction of acute punishment of the organizations 
which oppose carnal war. 

I do not refer to these matters from a partisan point 
of view. There are many adherents of those organiza- 
tions who, from the’ inmost recesses of their hearts, 
abhor war and properly attribute it to Satanic inspira- 
tion, but sinister leadership beguiles them to the immi- 
nent hazards of God’s displeasure. All the wars, for 
the past 1,400 years, have been fought by and between 
these belligerent organizations, and their pulpits and 
press are the most effectual agencies for war propa- 
ganda, and for the recruiting of armies, and for the 
glorifying of the reputed ‘‘heroes’’ of the battle fields 
and the leaders of the armies. 

It has been published abroad by men, eminent in mil- 
itary life, that the reputed churches have the power 
and opportunity to stay the bloody tide of war, and, 
failing to do so, are responsible for its horrors. Noth- 
ing can be more loyal to a fuadamental truth than thar 
charge, and nothing can be a more painful fact that 
they have not, and will not, use that influence in the 
day and hour of the launching of war. 

It is supremely foolish and a betrayal of the Lord to 
acclaim. peace when the nations are at peace, and war 
when the intriguing nations are at war. The pulpits of 
the belligerent nations, blazed with the intense fire of 
hate and vengeance, while the embattled armies were 
slaying each other by the millions, during the world 
war. These are historic facts and are on permanent 
record in the sacred archives of the Lord of all the 
worlds, and will perform their assigned office when the 
nations are summoned before the Judge to give an ae- 
count of their stewardship and to hear the final ver- 
dict. 

It is pleasing to know that, in the face of these tragic 
facts, there were a few organizations that took sharp 
and definite issue on this vital subject and thereby kept 


162 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


their souls clear of the blood of the millions slain. The 
Church ot*the Brethren, the Quakers, the Mennonites, 
and a few others, maintained, throughout, steadfast 
and persistent opposition to every thing that had the 
least semblance to carnal war. Their attitude was per- 
fectly consistent with their position since the begin- 
ning of their organizations, many centuries past, and 1 
am pleased to say that the American government, offi- 
cially, granted them immunity from combatant service. 


Yet the most terrible punishments were inflicted on 
them, often even unto death, for alleged disobedience 
to the orders of subordinate military officers, because 
of misinterpretation of the laws which the war depart- 
ment issued to regulate their participation in non com- 
batant service. 


We have a prophecy or rather an official inspired 
statement in Isaiah 56:10 that characterizes the atti- 
tude of false or unfaithful shepherds. Note the perti- 
nence of the assignment. ‘‘His watchmen are blind, 
(none are so blind as they who will not see) they are 
all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, 
sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea they are 
greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they 
are shepherds that cannot understand, they all look to 
their own way, every one for his gain, from his quar- 
ter.’’ 


While such a revelation of the betrayal of a sacred 
trust is pitiable in the extreme, as those false prophets 
manifested, it is a hundred fold more tragic now, be- 
cause we have a specific ‘‘thus saith the Lord’’ for 
every testimony against carnal war, and there will be 
little cause for protest on our part when we meet the 
Judge at the last day, when we make our appeal as set 
forth in Matthew 7 :22-23. ‘‘Lord, Lord, have we not. 
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have east out 
devils? and in thy name have done many wonderful 


WASHINGTON CONFERENCE 163 


works? And then will I profess unto them, I never 
knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’’ 


=_— 
—— 
——$—<————— 


THE CHURCH AND THE WASHINGTON 
CONFERENCE 


There is no movement among the nations of the carth 
that is more thrillmgly momentous and fraught with 
larger practical, material results than that of the In- 
ternational Conference, now in session in the City of 
Washington. Presumably every element in the human 
mentality and psychology will be employed to make it 
the greatest success in any stage of the world’s his- 
tory. 

The poor, sad, lost world is hungry—perishing for 
relief from the horrible destruction of carnal war. The 
sacred blood! of the millions, slain in the late war, cries 
out from the vast cemeteries of the battle-fields for a 
cessation of war’s tragedies, and the rulers of the 
nations anxiously respond to the appeal. The reputable 
Christian organizations, seemingly, are striving toward 
the same goal, and it is not antagonistic to a sane, 
rational interpretation of the Immaculate, Immortal 
Word as given in the Gospels, to say that we—the 
aforementioned organizations—have the only renee. 
that will meet the issue. 

The purpose of the conferees to launch the scheme 
of disarmament, because of its obvious economic, indus- 
trial, political results, will not avail. History shows 
that such motives alone will not bring the desired re- 
sults. 

The motive must be based on the uncontradicted 
fact, that war is the work of the devil, and that it is 
prohibited by every thought, word and act of our Sav- 
ior, as we have these recorded in the New Testament. 
The material features are merely supplementary. 

The success of the Great Conference is wholly ce 





164 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


pendent cn the attitude of the churches. It can not 
succeed without their direct action in its behalf, any 
further than anything can prevail without the sanction 


of our God, and they are the only representatives of 


God in this world. 

The chureh can cause wars to cease, whenever it 
functions by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in the 
effulgent light of the immaculate Word. 

Had it acted in that spirit, the great, murderous, Sa- 
tanie world war would never have come. If the churen 
will proceed now in that spirit, there will never be 
another war. If she does not, then every drop of blood, 
every death on the battle-field or in the camps, every 
dollar of the Lord’s money that is wasted in future 
wars, will be laid at the church’s door. Note the chal- 
lenge: ‘‘If the watchman see the sword coming on the 
land, and he fail to warn the people, the people will 
perish and their blood will be required at the wateh- 
man’s hands.’’ Note the following formula as the only 
one that will have the favor of our Lord: 

Let the religious organizations of the world proclaim 
a day of fasting and prayer for the blessing of God on 
tue work of the Conferenee. In this service, let them 
eonfess their great sin in their failure, heretofore, in not 
preaching the doctrine of love and peace and forgive- 
ness of enemies, and their great sin in preaching the 
Satanic message of hate and war from their pulpits and 
press. Let them take the solemn vow to make the doe- 
trine and practice of love and peace and good will a 
condition of membership in their organizations, of equal 
spiritual value as the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus 
Christ. 7 

As a sufficient warrant for these suggestions, let the 
reader of the Messenger note the following sublime 
passage in the immortal prayer of King Solomon at the 
dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem,recorded 
in 1 Kings 8:35, 36: 


“THE CLERICAL MILITANT 165 


‘‘When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, be- 
cause they have sinned against thee; if they pray to- 
ward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from 
their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in 
heaven, and forgive the sins of thy servants, and of 
thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way 
wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, 
which thou hast given to thy people.”’ 

Prayers for divine help in times of trouble are con- 
tingent for success on our confession and pledge to for- 
sake our sins. It has always been so and will be to the 
end of the age. 


— ee 
D>” 
———— 


THE CLERICAL MILITANT 

The publication of the subjoined article is a para- 
mount obligation to a recorder of current history, as 1t 
relates to the attitude of the different denominational 
functionaries toward the question of the relation of 
militarism to the religion of the New Testament. The 
divergence existing between the different cults is 
definitely marked and this attitude is having such re- 
sults concerning, the question of religious toleration 
that it has become a matter of the gravest concern in 
its bearing on national and international relations. 

If the conscientious objection toward active militar- 
ism is right, their antagonists are wrong, and if they 
are wrong, their opponents are right. There is no mid- 
die ground, no basis for compromise. 

In the testing of these and kindred subjects we do 
not wish to appear partisanly hostile toward our cler- 
ical critics. Especially do we wish to discriminate be- 
tween the ultra militaristic clergy and their pacifist de- 
nominational brethren. There were a few who stood 
four square against any participation in war, only a 
few, we regret to say, and they share with us in the 


166 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





glory and .honor of the championship of a vital doc- 
trine of the Christian religion. 

But the masses of the clerical profession, supported 
by the masses of their congregations in all the reputed 
Christian countries, contributed the largest share of the 
activities that made the plunging of our country into 
the world war, as well as in all other wars, a tragic 
success. 

For that reason, and further, as a contribution to 
the recordation of current history, it is needful that an 
unbiased statement of all unchallenged facts be made 
for the benefit of coming generations. 

Note the pungency of the attack which Bishop Cooke 


makes on the conscientious objector in the following ar- 


ticle, and the scriptural and logical defense that en- 
sues. The bishop is one of the ablest in mental strength 
and official personality of the clerical magnates of our 
country and fairly represents their position on these 
questions. 

The Rey. Fred Lynch, Secretary of ‘‘The Church 
Peace Union,’’ asked Bishop Cooke, of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church for his personal attitude toward the 
conscientious objector, and he, the bishop, published 
his answer in ‘‘The Methodist Advocate Journal,’’ and 
it has been copied in many of the leading magazines 
and daily papers of the country, with the seeming ap- 
proval of the editors. As the article does not deal log- 
ically and fairly with the important question of the 
relation of conscience toward our lives, and, in a large 
measure, does a grave injustice to the people affectea, 
I am placing it on permanent record in this volume. 

In the onset I will define the office of the faculty 


which we eall ‘‘conscience.’’ It is an inherent quality 


established by the divine law for the vital function to 
regulate our conduct in conformity to that law. I ree- 
ognize the fact that this faculty can act abnormally, 
being, as it is, under a supernatural influence, when 





THE CLERICAL MILITANT 167 





that influence is inspired by Satan. This explains that 
phenomena of abnormal conscientious manifestations. 


This is specially emphasized in the following scrip- 
tural passages. ‘‘I have lived in good conscience before 
God to this day.’’ Acts 28:1. This period of St. Paul’s 
life included the time when he persecuted the church. 
““Their consciences seared with a hot iron.’’ 1 Timothy 
4:2. “‘But their conscience is defiled.’’ 2 Timothy 1:15. 
Thus it is shown that wicked men are guided by their 
consciences. The time has been and is now, possibly, 
when they will think they do God’s service by killing 
His servants. John 16:2. 


These testimonies are definite as to the moral constit- 
uents of actions under conscientious impulses. His 
first accusation is that ‘‘we are controlled by sophis- 
ticated minds.’’ He means that our minds are _ per- 
verted. A perverted mind is one incapable of moral 
government, without moral perception, incapable of 
discerning the difference between truth and error. We 
repudiate the charge of the martial bishop. We are 
walking in the full glare of the effulgent light of God’s 
Word, as it comes to us by His immaculate Son. 


He says ‘‘we are willing to share the benefits of war 
but not to bear its burdens and hardships and suffer- 
ings.’’ JI will say, in contradiction to the bishop’s ful- 
mination, that war does not bring ‘‘benefits.’’ Benefits 
are the glorious outcome of peace and love; and hard- 
ships and suffering are the conecomitants of war and 
they, alike, fall heavily on all within the radius of their 
satanic influence. 


Next, he says ‘‘it is not a church question at all, nor 
is it, except by a mixture of things that differ, in any 
way related to questions of religious freedom (or tol- 
eration). It is a State question and belongs to the gov- 
ernment.’’ He is speaking of the claim we assert that 
no human or governmental power has the right to com- 





168 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





pel us to kill people in war if our consciences disallow 
i | 
In answer to this I will say that conscienee is our 
guide as niuch in domg what God commands as to re- 
frain from doing what He forbids. 

Thus we conscientiously administer baptism by tm- 
mersion and would die by martyrdom rather than to 
expunge it from our creed by order of the government, 
and, by the same spirit, we would prefer a martyr’s - 
death rather than to kill our enemy, whom God com- 
mands us ‘‘to love and feed and clothe and forgive ana 
“pray for.’’ It is silly to say it is not a religious ques- 
tion. 

Then the bishop says ‘‘that wars of hate, of aggres- 
sion, of plunder, of expansion, are wrong, but that wars 
for defense and punishment of evil doers are right.”’ 
Will he give us a fixed, definite, conclusive rule by 
which we can determine the moral character of wars? 
Kach and every nation, in the late war, was absolutely 
sure that their part in it had the merit of God’s approv- 
al, and their chaplains endeavored to show from the 
New Testament, that God was on their side. Our own 

government boldly affirmed that ‘‘we were invaded 

-and that we were at war to preserve our territorial 
sovereignty, which would be successfully asssailed. 
twenty or thirty years hence, unless we would aid in 
destroying the German government.’’ Yes, all wars 
are defensive, according to the testimony of the partiat 
historian, 

Now I need not tell the bishop that the question of 
the moral character of wars is a matter of individual 
determination, just as that of the question of the reaf 
presence of the body of Christ in the sacramental ser- 
vice. Suppose he had lived in the bloody years of the 
wars between Catholicism and Protestantism, would he 
have accepted the dictum of his papal government as 
to his attitude towards the questions in controversy? 





THE CLERICAL MILITANT 169 


Next, the bishop leaves the field of logical argument 
and descends to the low plane of inappropriate and 
seareely relevant analogy. He says ‘‘but if the con- 
scientious objector insists that the question is solely 
one of obedience to God, then the question arises, shall 
he obey God in this one particular only, that is, in not 
going to war, and he be the sole judge of what is right- 
eous war, or shall he, also obey God down the whote 
line? Shall a man obey God by refusing to tell a false- 
hood at one end of the line, and be a beneficiary of the 
falsehood at the other end?’’ 


In answer to the question, I will say we seek no 
profit nor do we desire any from professional liars, 
such for instance, as stock gamblers, and people of their 
ilk, but, if the results following. their performances, 
be either beneficial or adverse, we are sufferers or bene- 
ficiaries, without any connivanee or agency of our own. 


The object of the bishop, in presenting this hypoa- 
thetical case, is, to establish his contention whieh fot- 
lows, that a conscientious objector has no right to share 
the blessings of a war which was fought and won 
through the sacrifice and sufferings of others. He enu- 
merates the objects for which our country was at war 
and then he says ‘‘we are perfectly willing to enjoy all 
the benefits, social, political, and commercial, that have 
been won at the cost of the blood and suffering and 
death of those who fought.”’ 


In our behalf I will say the question of the benefits 
accruing from war is one that has not been settled! 
affirmatively. It has been demonstrated that coun- 
tries have retrograded, by the space of generations, 
‘through the curse of war. War is recognized as the 
direct inspiration of the devil, and has been rightly 
characterized as the very essence of hell and I feel sure 
‘that even a ‘‘fighting bishop,’’ as Dr. Cooke has been 
aptly described, would not concede that the devil would 


170 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 








inaugurate a_movement that would be a blessing to 
anybody. 

In support of my statement that peace, which is the 
allotted role of the conscientious objector, is better for 
the world than war, please note the historical fact, that 
Russia and Central America freed their slaves without 
war, while the Southern states of America fought @ 
four years’ war to protect and save the institution of 
slavery, lost the war and their slaves, and ruined, econ- 
omically, the owners, and set our section back at least, 
a generation. History is full of similar cases. There- 
fore the benefits resulting from the bishop’s wars are 
simply the creation of abnormal minds and hearts, and 
are negatived by practically every well attested histor- 
ical record. 

Again, the bishop pursues his argument by asking 
the question ‘‘do we take our stand upon an assumed 
law of God which is nowhere expressed?’’ I answer 
confidently that we take our stand upon the most def- 
inite, conclusive, imperative law that the Holy Ghost, 
through God’s well beloved Son, could possibly have 
been framed, by words and deeds of uncontradicted 
authenticity. 

From the opening to the closing of the New Testa- 
ment, which the reverned bishop claims as the basis of 
his ordination, the testimony in favor of peace, of 
brotherly love, of forgiveness of enemies, of prayer, in- 
stead of death, for enemies, of the satanic inspiration 
of war, is fairly, logically, temperamentally, argument- 
ally, established, and its natural alignment with the 
mission of Satan in this world is definitely settled by 
the illuminating prophecy that when Satan is bound 
in his allotted prison, during the thousand years of the 
millennium, there will be no war or fighting either 
among men or animals. 

With amazing disregard for the amenities of broth- 
erly intercourse, the bishop places us in the category of 








THE CLERICAL MILITANT 171 





_ people who are the conscious recipients of stolen goods. 
“Is not the beneficiary of a crime a partner in the 
crime?’’ he asks. ‘‘Is such a man a conscientious ob- 
jector at all?’’ he inquires. ‘‘Is the receiver of stolen 
goods less criminal than the thief?’’ he affirms by m- 
plication. The case is not apropos to the question under 
discussion. War is the normal condition of the nations 
of the world, and there is no place under the sun where 
we would not be subject to conditions produced by 
war, and our only escape would be by way of the grave. 
There is no analogy between the cases and any sane 
person will easily understand it. Such reasoning is 
arrant nonsense. 


He affirms, again, that ‘‘the question is not a church 
guestion but one wholly pertaining to government.’’ 
~The logical sequence of such a position is that, under 
whatever government we happen to live we would be 
bound, in conscience, to fight its battles, whether in 
Germany, or Turkey or among the polygamous Arabs, 
or the African head hunters, or the persecuting Cath- 
olics of Mediaeval times, any and everywhere, to fight 
and kill at the beck and eall of the politicians who con- 
trol the government. Is the fighting bishop ready to 
commend such action on the part of his Methodist 
brethren of Germany or Turkey or elsewhere? 


He closes his long communication by suggesting that 
‘‘as we will not fight and kill the alleged enemies of 
the country we are not entitled to its rights and priv- 
ileges.’’ He says ‘‘we are men without a country’’ and 
he suggests, by implication, that we should be deported 
or forbidden to own a home in a country which we 
would not defend with our lives. This is the spirit of 
the persecutor for conscientious obedience to God’s 
commands, and the astonishing fact appals me that a 
Methodist bishop, whose spiritual ancestors went to a 
martyr’s death rather than to violate the impulses of 


172 - CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


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A : iJ at a 
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their own consciences, could give voice to such a sen- 
timent. 

We accept the consequences of our opposition to war 
as defined by the bishop, that ‘‘we are men without a 
country.’’ The world is our country and doing good 
is our religion. In Paul, to Hebrews, we are told that 
‘“we have no continuing city, but seek one to come.’’ 
Our Lord tells us that when we are persecuted in one 
place to flee to another. Our services to God and to 
our fellow creatures are not limited by geographical — 
lines. If the bishop feels justified in exhorting his 
American brethren to kill their German brethren he 
must pay the penalty in the last judgment, but he 
should not add to the deed the additional penalty py 
judging us for refusing to kill our German or English 
or French brethren. 

I close by giving a few excerpts from history to 
show the attitude of the disciples of our Lord toward _ 
war. There is no conflicting testimony to the allega- }- 
tion that Christians refused to fight in earnal warfare 
for over two hundred years from the death of Christ. 
In the schedule of accusations against Him by the Jews 
they charge that ‘‘if they would let Him alone all men 
would believe on Him and' the Romans would come and 
take away their place and nations.’’ Near the close 
of His ministry he told His disciples ‘‘ When they saw 
Jerusalem besieged by enemies they should flee to the 
mountains.’’ <All through the dark ages, when Cath- 
olicism dominated the world, the Baptist people were 
the conscientious objectors, and, therefore, were sub- 
ject to the most barbarous persecutions. At a later 
period these same people met the same conditions in 
the fertile valleys of France, and wese destroyed in the 
most ruthless manner. In the seventeenth century the 
Brethren (Dunkers) and Mennonites launched their 
propaganda in Germany, from whence they were driven | 
because of their unmilitary teaching. The persecuting . 





THE CLERICAL MILITANT 173 


spirit dominates the belligerent nations today, not ex- 
eepting our own country. In England the peace Iov- 
ing Quakers were pifhished most ruthlessly, for their 
opposition to the war spirit, and the logical results of 
Bishop Cooke’s attitude toward us leads to the same 
consequences. 

The bellicose bishop sums up the penalty that our 
government should mete out to us in the following dec- 
laration, to wit: ‘‘Let the government respect the con- 
scientious objector’s opinions, but, at the same time, 
let it insist, severely, that he shall take the full conse- 
quences of his opinions. Let him be deprived, forever, 
of all the benefits of war, of all ‘political, social, and 
civil rights.’’ 

Il hope the bishop will not be offended if I tell him 
that the ‘‘rights’’ which he proposes to take from us 
are not benefits of war, as he alleges. Canada has a 
purer democracy than we have and she has never shed 
a drop of blood in its achievement. So has Austrilia 
and New Zealand. But accepting his ultimatum as the 
policy of our government, as an established fact, we 
are ready for its administration. As to our social 
rights that will be determined by our neighbors. Our 
political rights consist of the opportunity to vote and 
hold office, and, at this writing, not ten per cent of our 
people exercise that privilege. Our civil rights consist 
in the protection of our lives and property from pro- 
fessional ‘‘evil doers’’ by the magistrate, and to ac- 
quire legal titles to property and etc. This matter is 
of easy solution. There are approximately one quarter 
of a million of our class in the United States and all 
we ask of the government, when she essays to adopt 
the bishop’s policy, is to give us a few months to get 
ready to emigrate, to any part of the world where we 
could enjoy the right to worship God according to His 
Word and that Word interpreted according to our own 
consciences not ten per cent of our people who live in 


174 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


any country when our right to worship God by the fore- 
going rule was denied, or penalized as Bishop Cooke 
suggests. ” 

I think those countries would welcome us to thefr 
shores. Our attitude toward society and our high 
moral standards and our reputation as a law abiding 
people, our habits of industry, and all other ennobling 
traits of character, would open the arms and hearts of 
' any people to whom we would appeal for an asylum, 
who are not. inspired by the persecuting spirit of the 
fighting bishop. ; 

But before the bishop and his editorial and minis- 
terial colleagues put their policy into execution, I ad- 
vise them to take down our glorious emblem of a free, 
God-fearing people, ‘‘The Star Spangled Banner,’’ and 
wrap in its folds the Declaration of Independence 
and the U. S. Constitution, and entomb it in the seput- 
chres of Jefferson and’ his colleagues, and raise, in its 
stead, the red flag of terrorism. Also, expunge from 
the schedule of the objects of our affiliation with the 
allies the beautiful sentiment of ‘‘humanity and de- 
mocracy’’ and. write, in their stead, the destruction of 
conscience and the hope of freedom for all future gen- 
erations within our territorial limits, 

I present the foregoing reply to the bishop’s exhaus- 
tive article, explanatory of our attitude toward war, 
and, in doing so, I have tried to be just in my criti- 
cisms, and fair and honest in defending our cause. I 
hope those who have read his article and my reply will 
render such judgment as will meet God’s approval in 
the last day. 

THE CLERICAL ATTITUDE 

In presenting to our readers conerete evidence of the 
attitude of the leaders of the religious organizations 
toward the doctrine of love and peace, as fundamental 
and vital features of the religion of our Lord, we are 








THE CLERICAL ATTITUDE 175 


simply giving credible and reliable historical facts, 
- without the faintest semblance of partisancy. In doing 
so we do not suppose there will be any resultant fric- 
tion, or any unbrotherly feeling. Those who favor and 
applaud carnal war are supposed to. do so from the con- 
viction that it will please God and that to do otherwise, 
that is, to adopt the pacifist attitude would displease 
Him. 

We will first note that the attitude of the Catholic 
organization, was militaristic from the beginning of its 
advent, as a world power, in the beginning of the sixth 
century. Through the succeeding centuries, practically 
all the wars were waged to spread its doctrines over 
the world, and to destroy all conflicting organizations. 
These conditions prevailed ’till the beginning of the 
so called, reformation under Luther, in Germany, in 
the dawn of the fifteenth century. 

At this date the trend of the religious elements of 
the world was toward independent and variant inter- 
pretations of the New Testament doctrines, the begin- 
ning of the rule of, what is known as ‘‘ Protestantism,’’ 
among the nations, and we will note here the attitude 
of the leader of these movements towards carnal war. 

Luther, who laid the foundation of that division 
known as ‘‘Lutheranism,’’ and! which now is the 
national religion of all of the German States, and the 
Seandinavian countries, consisting of Sweden, Den- 
mark, and Norway, taught. distinctively, the duty of 
carnal war, as a National policy. Let us note an ex- 
tract from a history of his life. On page 280-281 his 
biographer quotes him as saying, ‘‘Rebellion is not or- 
dinary murder, but a conflagration which consumes a 
whole country. Therefore smite, slay, stab secretly 
or openly, whoever can, and remember that there. ts 
nothing more venomous, pernicious, devilish, than a 
rebel. Slay him like a mad dog. If thou killest him 
not, he will kill thee, and a whole country with thee. 


176 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


A prince and a governor must remember that he is 
God’s deputy and the minister of His wrath, to whom 
the sword is intrusted to punish such villains. For if 
he can punish and doth not, he is guilty of all the mur- 
der and mischief which these villains commit.’’ 

‘“‘Phis is no time.for slumber nor for patience nor 
merey. It is a time for the sword, a season of wrath 
and not of grace. Therefore let the authorities advance 
with good courage and smite home, with a safe con- 
science, as long as the blood flows in their veins.’’ 

Since the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation, © 
the German nation has shown patriotic loyalty to the 
policy of carnal war and the late world war was but 
the natural sequence of his teaching. Later, John Cal- 
vin, of Switzerland, and John Knox of Scotland, 
launched the movement which was the foundation of 
modern Presbyterianism, and Zwingle of Germany led 
the German Reformed movement, in each of which, the . 
martial spirit dominated and the greatest military 
chieftians have been and are of those organizations. 

Numerically, the Baptist and Methodist organizations 
are the strongest in the Protestant world today, and, 
whatever was their distinctive attitude toward war, at 
the foundation, they are now solidly behind every 
movement among the nations in all of their wars. 

The launching of the Episcopal movement, under the 
leadership of Henry the 8th of England, was caused by 
a disreputable love affair. of the lascivious king, which 
the Roman pontiff refused to sanction, They have been 
consistent advocates of the war policies of the nations 
through all succeeding generations. 

Later, George Fox of England, founded the Quaker 
(Friends) movement, and Menno Simon, the Mennon- 
ite, and Alexander Mack, the Dunker organizations. 
These organizations represent, practically, the only 
peace and love policies of Protestantism in the world 
today. There are several smaller organizations, the 








THE CLERICAL ATTITUDE 177 


Plymouth Brethren, the Christiadelphians, and branches 
of several of the organizations referred to above, who 
are affiliated with us in these doctrines, the whole num- 
ber not exceeding a half a million. It is-pleasing to 
ncete certain exceptional cases where clericals of the 
martial organizations took issue with their brethren on 
the question of affiliating with the militarists durmg 
the late war. | 

A Baptist minister of Alabama was imprisoned be- 
cause of his opposition to the war policies of our ruler, 
and one of the same affiliation in Virginia, suffered the 
same fate. 

Another noteworthy incident occurred in a Presby- 
terian pulpit recently in a Southern State. In a ser- 
mon on the subject of ‘‘The Religion of Service’’ he 
made the specific declaration that ‘‘if the religious 
leaders of the Christian churches had functioned in 
accord with the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus 
Christ the world war would have been impossible.’’ 
These clerical meteors cast a faint gleam of light over 
the darkened sky of the fast vanishing hopes of a war 
erazed world, and emphasize the pertinancy of the 
question of our dear Lord, recorded im Luke 18:8 
‘when I come, shall I find faith on the earth?’’ and 
again, in Matthew 20:16. ‘‘For many are called but 
few are chosen.’’ 

The masses of the membership of the religious organ- 
izations of the reputed Christian countries, led by offi- 
cials, in perfect accord with the Satanic spirit of war, 
are at one with that spirit, while but few, possibly one 
thousandth part, oppose all forms of that iniquity, even 
unto reproach, imprisonment, the loss of property, and 
life itself, rather than to offend (that is kill in war) 
one of these little ones.’’ The reader will recall the 
saying of our Lord that ‘‘it would be better for a man 
to have a millstone hanged about his neck and to be 
thrown into the sea than to offend’ one of His children. 


t ? he ae 
(ty ; iatok evita hts ’ 


178 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





SATAN: HIS ANCESTRY, VOCATION, PSYCHOL- 
. OGY, AND DESTINY 


There is no figure in human history that has been 
more conspicuous than that creature whom we _ eall 
Satan, with his synonyms, devil, Belzebub, Apolyon, 
serpent, dragon. We know nothing definite ag to his 
origin. In June 6, we read ‘‘And the angels which 
kept not their first estate but left their own habitation, 
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness 
unto the judgment of the great day.’’ 


It is generally conceded that the angels were crea- 


ted as Adam and Eve were. Of this we have no defi- 
nite knowledge. We need none. They are an essential 
part of the vast administration of the infinite Creator 
and closely allied to the big human family. 


On one thing, we feel a degree of assurance and that 


is they possess the attribute of sovereignty, free will, 
which we share with them, an essential attribute of the 
divinity, a token of sonship, with our elder Brother, the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Angelic coterie, up to a certain indefinite period, 
were characteristically loyal to the Divine regime. So 
far as we have conclusive information there was at that 
time, no friction or adverse procedure anywhere, with- 
in or without, the illimitable domain of the Creator. 

The beginning of the revolt of a certain number of 
the angels, from the divine government, is noted in 
Isaiah 14:12, 13, 14. Read the story. 

‘How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer, thou 
son of the morning, how art thou east down to the 


ground, which did weaken the nations. For thou hast - 


said in thy heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will 
exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will also sit 
upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the 
North, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I 
will be like the most High.’’ 

_ This was evidently the beginning of the spiritual re- 








SATAN 179 


bellion against the Creator, and, in 2 Peter 2:4, we 
have a record of the action of God against the move- 
ment, as follows: ‘‘For God spared not the angels that 
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them 
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.’’ 
This event is also referred to in Revelations 12:7. 

‘‘ And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels 
fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and 
his angels. And prevailed not, neither was their place 
found any more in heaven, and the great dragon was 
east out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, 
which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into 
the earth and his angels were cast out with him.’’ He 
is also called ‘‘the prince of the power of the air, the 
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobe- 
dience.’’ Ephesians 2:2. ‘‘The children of disobedience’’ 
are those who do not obey our Lord and Savior. In 
Revelations 12:12, he is again referred to in the follow- 
ing language, ‘‘Woe to the imhabitants of the earth 
and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you 
having great wrath because he knoweth he hath but a 
short time.’’ Since that period he has been in power 
in this world at its ruling prince as set forth in John 
12:31. ‘‘Now shall the prince of this world be cast 
out‘ and in 14:30, ‘‘Hereafter I will not talk much 
with you for the prince of this world cometh and hath 
nothing in me,”’ and in 16:11, ‘‘Beeause the prince of 
this world is judged.’’ These quotations are adduced 
to show that Satan is in practical control of the poli- 
cies of the nations of the world, and, as his nature is 
adverse to the nature of our Lord, the anomolous state 
of the world is easily understood. 

To emphasize the supremacy of the dominion of 
Satan over the affairs of the nations, he proclaimed his 
relation thereto in that interview with our Lord in the 
forty day fasting period in the desert, recorded in Mat- 
them 4:8, 9. ‘‘And' the devil taketh him up into an ex- 



























180 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 
ceeding high mountain and shewed him all the king- 
doms of the world and the glory of them for they are 
delivered unto me and saith unto Him, all these things 
will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship ~ 
me.”’ 
The foregoing will establish the origin and history 
of Satan up to the time of the beginning of the min- 
istry of our Lord and it will also identify him with 
the administrations of the governments of the nations 
-of the world. 
His first performance in world affairs was staged in 
the garden of Eden, when he led Eve into that fatal 
act of eating the forbidden fruit, and launched his plan 
to subvert the kingdoms of the world to his dominion. 
Let us note some of the manifestations of his voca- _ 
tion and of his performances. His greatest faculty is_ 
deception. He has the power to make the worse ap- 
‘pear the better cause, to make white appear black, and 
black appear white. Especially is he an adept in con- 
tradicting God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He began 
that method in his first performance in the garden of _ 
Eden when he told Eve ‘‘ye shall not surely die.’’ He 
is the arch deceiver. In Revelations 18:23, under the 
symbol of Babylon, he is said to have deceived all 
nations. In 2nd John 7, it is said many deceivers are 
entered into the world who confess not that Jesus 
Christ is come in the flesh. 
The history of the peoples and nations of the world 
is full of examples of his success in carrying on the 
work of deception, and this feature will continue till 
the end of the ages. 
In Revelation 12:9 he is spoken of as ‘‘deceiving the 
whole world.’’ In Revelation 20:3 ‘‘An angel came 
down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless 
pit, and a great chain in his hand, and he laid hold on 
the dragon, which is the devil and Satan, and’ bound 
him a thousand years and cast him in the pit and shut 


SATAN 181 


7 
him up that he should deceive the nations no more till 
the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that 
he must be loosed a little season.’’ ‘‘And when the 
thousand years are expired he shall go out to deceive 
the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, 
to gather them together to battle, the number of whom 
is as the sand of the sea,’’ ‘‘And they went up and 
compassed the camp of the saints about and the holy 
eity, and fire came down from God, out of heaven, and 
devoured them.’’ 

These notations will establish the assumption that 
Satan’s most conspicuous role is that of a ‘‘deceiver,’’ 
and it will also explain that phenomena in human psy- 
chology of practically absolute variance with the teach- 
ing and life of our Lord, on the fundamental doctrine 
of Love and Peace. 

That Satan is fully conscious of his power to accom- 
plish his purpose to thwart God’s purpose in behalf of 
the welfare of His people, subject to specific limitations, 
we note that episode recorded in the book of Job. 
There was a conference of the Sons of God, angels pre- 
sumably, and, by an inexplicable concurrence, Satan 
met with them. Their greeting seems to have been un- 
scemly courteous, and Satan was asked to report on 
his activities in the world, and whether he had ‘‘con- 
sidered Job, a perfect and upright man, one who feared 
God and eschewed evil.’’ In reply Satan charged Job 
with hypocritical selfishness and demanded an oppor- 
tunity to test his pretended loyalty. 

Note the challenge. ‘‘Doth Job fear God for nought? 
Hast thou not made a hedge about him on every side? 
But put forth thy hand and touch all that he hath and 
he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto 
Satan, behold all that he hath is in thy power, only 
upon himself put not forth thy hand.’’ ‘‘So Satan went 
forth from the presence of the Lord’’ and in a short 
space of time, perhaps a few days, he had caused the 


if 


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182 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


destruction of all of Job’s property, and of his family 
of ten children. ‘‘Then Job arose and rent his clothes 
and shaved his head and fell down and worshiped, and 
said, naked came I into the world and naked shall I re- 
turn, the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed 
be the name of the Lord.’’ Satan’s accusation failed. 
He was given another chance in the affliction of Job 
with boils. That also failed. He is the same old liar, 
and he is pursuing the same course with us today and 
we have the same loving Father who will protect us 
if we trust and obey Him. The test of Job’s loyalty to 
God ended in a supreme victory in Job’s behalf, and its 
record here is adduced to show that Satan has always 
been, is now, and will be to the end of the age, a vin- 
dictive counter to the purpose of our heavenly Father, 
to protect those whose faith and works identify them as 
His adopted children. This phase of the administra- 
tion of God in our behalf will be stressed further in 
this chapter. : 

Satan’s most efficient weapon in this warfare is that 
of specific contradiction of the Word of God. In the 
beginning Adam was told, ‘‘in the day thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt surely die.’’ Satan countered with | 
‘‘thou shalt not surely die.’’ When our Lord saystous — 
‘‘thou shalt,’’ Satan replies, ‘‘thou shalt not,’’ and — 
when the divine word comes to us, ‘‘thou shalt not,’? — 
Satan replies ‘‘thou shalt.’’ This condition has pre- 
vailed through all the ages, and resultant wickedness — 
and suffering has covered the world. Our Lord has — 
given us the golden rule, Satan counters by the rule af 
absolute selfishness, the antipode of that of our Lord. 
We are commanded to love our brother. Satan covers 
the killing of our brethren with the damning halo of 
world glory. We are commanded to love our enemies. 
Satan counters with the embattlement of myriad 
armies, for the sole purpose to kill our enemies. Our — 
Tiord commands us to forgive our trespassers, and 








i | ; 


SATAN 183 


Satan replies, by his inspiratian to punish our trespass- 
ers. Our Lord forbids obedience to the rulers of the 
nations when they forbid preaching His doctrines. 
Satan, through wicked rulers, persecutes those who re- 
fuse to obey their commands. He so far possesses the 
hearts and souls of his followers with his nature of de- 
ception that some think they do God’s service when 
they kill His disciples. 

In order to give our readers an approximate under- 
standing of Satan’s methods of procedure in this work 
of deception, it will be noted that he has the power 
“to transform himself into an angel of light and his 
ministers have power, also, to transform themselves into 
ministers of righteousness.’’ For evidence of this read 
2 Corinthians 11:18, 14, 15. ‘‘For Such are false apos- 
tles, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into 
an angel of light, and his ministers into ministers of 
righteousness. ’’ 

It is a very practical question for us to understand 
how we can test the identity of these apostles and min- 
isters, whether they be of God or of Satan. Let us note 
a few rules which our Lord has given us on this sub- 
ject. | 
These ministers of Satan, who are transformed into 
ministers of righteousness, are mainly in the pulpits of 
the reputed churches of Christ. A few notations will 
identify their spiritual relationships. Our Lord 
preached love and peace and good will and forgiveness 
of enemies and the sanctity of human life. Satan’s 
ministers preach hate, wars, ill will toward enemies, 
vengeance on enemies, the destruction of human life 
in war. 

Our Lord preached obedience to His Father’s com- 
mandments as the basis of salvation, Satan’s ministers 
preach faith alone as the basis of salvation. Our Lord 
preached the final destruction of all life in the world as 


184 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





a result of universal sin which dominates the nations. 
Satan’s ministers preach the ultimate salvation of the 
world through the acceptance of the gospel by the 
nations, that is by evolution. 

Satan’s ministers, clerical and philosophical pluto- 
sophistical, teach that this material world is a billion 
years old, more or less, and that the human organism 
through limitless ages, has evolved from the monkey 
stage, thence backward to the protoplasmie stage, the 


boneless, nerveless, stage. Our God says he made man 


in His own image and likeness. These elericals, these 
ministers of righteousness, say, by implication, that in 
the beginning our God was a monkey and a million of 
years before the beginning, he was an _ invertebrate, 
without muscles or brain and without a soul, a creature 
of the imagination, a vacuous element in the material 
world, passing through the limitless ages by the slow 
process of evolution, from a material nonentity, to an 
immaterial possibility of unknown, spectral substance, 
up to the image and likeness of a perfect God. 

These ministers of righteousness preach a degree of 
patriotism conditioned on the number of enemies we 
ean kill in battle, and measure our loyalty to our Lord 
by an adeptness in obeying the godless rulers of the 
nations. 

In a word they counter our Lord in His every effort 
to develop conditions in this world like those which 
prevail in Heaven, as we are taught, and repeat in the 
‘‘Lord’s Prayer,’’ and, as a result of their satanic min- 
istry, our world is receding backward to the pre-dilu- 
vian, pre-Sodomie stage, and all the attributes of the 
demons of the underworld are dominating the policies 
and performances of the governments of this world. 


Special note of a few of his attributes will interest. 


our readers and it will be observed that all of these 
qualities are dominant in the professional militarist. 
One of these traits is that of a liar. In John 8, He 





SATAN 185 





staged a controversy with his enemies, the Pharisees, 
and in the 44th verse He proclaims their spiritual ances- 
try and the qualities of their father as follows. ‘‘Ye 
are of your father the devil and the lusts of your fath- 
er will ye do. He was a murderer from the beginning 
and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in 
him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, 
for he is a liar and the father of it.’’ 

His dominating passion is to contradict God, and 
there is no more determinate testimony that we are his 
disciples then when we take issue with our Lord and’ 
Savior Jesus Christ, when we doubt the divine inspira- 
tion of His Word, as it is recorded in the New Testa- 
ment. This is most defiantly demonstrated when men, 
acting as His ordained ministers, preach and applaud 
-earnal war. It is considered an unpardonable sin to 
deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is a far greater 
sin, if possible, to ally Him with Satan in the damning 
orgy of carnal war, as the false prophets of this age 
are doing. ; 

Another trait is that of a murderer. He began to 
function in the exercise of that quality in the matter 
of the murder of Abel, the first victim of the passion of 
blood lust. Before the expulsion of our first parents 
from the Garden of Eden, the thirst for blood was un- 
known, even among the beasts of the field, the fowls of 
the air or the fishes of the sea. Since that event the 
habit of killing, the thirst for blood has dominated all 
animate nature and that explains the infinite ‘‘mystery 
of iniquity,’’ of the killing on the battle fields. 

Kach and all of his personal traits, deception, lying, 
murder, are in active operation in the inspiration, the 
launching, and provocation of carnal war. It could not 
be prosecuted without them. A successful soldier must 
be a consummate deceiver. With these, all other things 
being favorable, he will succeed, without it he will fail. 
_ Even diplomacy, a species of governmental administra- 





186 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





tion, is most effective by the adoption of such prac- 
tices. It was Tallyrand, a famous French statesman, 
who. said, ‘‘It was not of so much value to successful 
diplomacy to tell a falsehood, as it was to conceal the 
truth.’’ There is but one way to escape the penalty of 
the liar and that is, to tell the truth, the whole truth 
and nothing but the truth. 

We pass now to the last stage of the satanic domin- 
ion, his ‘‘destiny’’ and that of his ministers. He came 
upon the stage some 6,000 years ago and has had prac- 
tical control of the earth ever since. | 

The great chain is ready for his binding, spoken of 
in Revelation 20:1, 2, 3, and when the day and hour 
comes, an angel will bind him with that-chain and he 
will be cast into the bottomless pit, and a seal will be 
set on him that he should deceive the nations no more 
for a thousand years. Let us note here that during 


these years there will be no wars among the nations, a 


testimony that should justify the pacifist charge be- 
yond the criticism of the blindest ‘‘minister of right- 
eousness,’’ that wars are-inspired by Satan. ‘‘And 
when the thousand years are past he will be loosed out 
of his prison and he will go out to deceive the nations,”’ 
just as he is doing now ‘‘and gather them together to 
battle against the camp of the saints and' then fire from 
God out of Heaven will come down on his crowd and 
devour them,’’ and then he will be ‘‘cast in the lake of 
fire and brimstone to be tormented day and night for- 
ever.’’ 

This is not the most tragic part of the sad story. He 
and his angels will not be there alone. In Psalms 9:17 
it is told that ‘‘the wicked will be turned into hell with 
the nations that forget God.’’ In 2 Peter 3:7 we read 
that ‘‘the heavens and the earth which are now, are re- 
served unto fire against the day of julgment anl perdi- 
tion of ungodly men.’’ And in Matthew 25:41 we have 
the following verdict against the servants of Satan. 


7 
j 
4 

1 















FORTY-ONE SYLLOGISMS 187 





“‘Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire pre- 
pared for the devil and his angels.’’ 

Again in Luke 13:27, 27 we read ‘‘Depart from me 
all ye workers of iniquity, there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth.’’ Again in Matthew 13:14, ‘‘And 
the Son of man shall gather out of His kingdom all 
things that do iniquity and they shall be cast into a 
furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of 
teeth.’’ ‘‘And death and hell were cast into the lake 
of fire.’’ 

The end of Satan and his ministers has come, and 
wars are fought no more, and Love and Peace and good 
will reign and rule throughout the earth, and paradise 
is restored and there shall be no more death, neither 
sorrows, nor crying, nor any more pain, for the former 
things are passed away.’’ 


—— 
—_———— 
————— 


FORTY-ONE SYLLOGISMS AFFIRMING THE IN- 
COMPATIBILITY OF CHRISTIANITY AND WAR 


It would seem that less than forty-one syllogisms 
should suffice to settle any question that relates to a 
matter so vital as that of the salvation of a soul. Sup- 
pose we apply the supreme test and submit one that is 
embodied in the ensuing text, to wit, ‘‘Blessed are the 
peacemakers for they shall be called the children of 
God.’’ Matthew 5:9. 

But war makers are the antipodes of God. There- 
fore war makers shall be called the children of the 
devil. 

Let us try another seripture, ‘‘Without peace and 
holiness no man shall see the Lord.’’ Hebrews 12:14. 
But war makers destroy peace and holiness. There- 
fore war makers shall not see God. | 

Each and every one of the number published in this 
chapter is decisive as to its testimony against war, and, 
among a nation that glorifies its relation, affirmatively, 


’ 


188 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


to the religion of Christ no additional testimony or ar- 
gument should be required. 

Yet there is no nation more obsessed with the satanic 
spirit of war than ours. The military spirit, the uni- 
form, the parade, the music, the camp, the sword, the 
battle, the oration, the clerical attitude, the war ser- 
mons, the banners; every feature of the vocation dom- 
inates the hearts and lives of our people as nothing else 
will do. 

So absolute is this passion, this prepossession so ab- 
sorbing, that, to antagonize it or refuse to applaud it, 
brings such a measure of obloquy, of scorn, that noth- 


ing but the grave of our Heavenly Father can suffice 


to make such an attitude bearable. 

Reader: When you wonder these testimonies, reflect 
that they have the supreme power and influence of the 
Holy Spirit, and let a prayer go up out of your heart 
for the divine light that will enrich your lives as 
nothing else will do. 

The angelic annunciation of the birth of our Lord 
proclaimed the advent of ‘‘peace and good will’’ 
throughout the world. But war destroys ‘‘peace and 
good will.’’ Therefore, war and Christianity are in- 
compatible. ‘‘Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they 
shall be called the children of God.’’ But war mak- 
ers are the antipodes of peacemakers. Therefore, war 
makers are not the children of God. 

To ‘‘visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic- 
tion’’ is a special manifestation of ‘pure and undefiled 
religion.’’ But war makes widows and fatherless chil 
dren. Therefore, war and religion are incompatible. 

War and Satan are synonyms. But Satan is the anti- 
pode of Christ. Therefore, war and Christianity are 
incompatible. 

War and hell are identical: (Sherman.) But hell is 
incompatible with Christ. Therefore, war and Chris- 
tianity are incompatible. 


FORTY-ONE SYLLOGISMS 189 





Hate and war are correlatives. But hate and Christ 
are antipodes. Therefore, war and Christ are incom- 
patible. 


Love and war are antipodes. But love is the basis of 
Christianity. Therefore, war and Christ are incompat- 
ible. | 

War and destruction are synonyms. But Christian- 
ity and destruction are antipodes. Therefore, war and 
Christianity are antipodes. 

War and the conservation of human life are anti- 
podes. But Christianity is the conservation of human 
life. Therefore war and Christianity are incompatible. 


The spirit of Christ is joy, love and peace. But war 
is the destruction of love, joy and peace. Therefore, 
war destroys the spirit of Christ. 


War is myriad murder. But no murderer hath eter- 
nal life. Therefore, war destroys the hope of eternal 
life. 


Reason and Christianity are harmonious. But war is 
force, the antipode of reason. Therefore, war is the an- 
tipode of Christianity. , 

Peace and Christianity are synonyms. , But war is the 
antipode of peace. Therefore, war and Christianity are 
incompatible. 

Valiant warriors are said to ‘‘fight like devils.’’ But 
devils and Christ are antipodes. Therefore, warriors 
are antipodes of Christ. 

We are instructed in the Lord’s prayer to ‘‘ glorify 
our Father which is in heaven.’’ But in war we glori- 
fy Satan. Therefore, war and Christianity are incom- 
patible. 

War is inspired by ‘‘our lusts which war in our mem- 
bers.’’ But our lusts are inspired by Satan. There- 
fore, war is inspired by Satan. 

The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians contains 
the basis of the religion of Christ. But war is a trav- 


190 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





esty on the 13th Chapter of First Corinthians. There- 
fore, war and the religion of Christ are incompatible. 

Our salvation is based on obedience to the gospel of 
Christ, faith in his Son. But war compels us to dis- 
obey the gospel of Christ by killing our enemies. There- 
fore, war and His commands are incompatible. 

The Lord’s Prayer calls for the setting up of God’s 
Kingdom. But in war the kingdom of Satan is set up. 
Therefore, war and Christianity are incompatible. 

The churches of Christendom could control the rul- 
ers of the nations. But the rulers of the nations foment 


all the wars that afflict the nations. Therefore, the. 


churches of Christendom are responsible for the wars 
which afflict the nations. 

The weapons of carnal and spiritual warfare are an- 
tipodes. But the weapons of carnal war are swords 
and guns. Therefore, they are antipodes to spiritual 
weapons, which are faith, hope and love. 

Our Lord is called ‘‘the Lamb of God.’’ But lambs 
are not belligerent. Therefore, our Lord is not bellig- 
erent, and his disciples partake of His spirit. 

‘‘Unless we have the spirit of Christ we are none of 
his.’? Romons 8:9. The Christians of the first three cen- 
turies had the spirit of Christ, and they would not par- 
ticipate in carnal war. (Myers’ Ancient history, revised 
edition, page 525.) Therefore, war and the spirit of 
Christ are incompatble. 

Incompatibility with Christianity insures our damna- 
tion. But war is incompatible with Christianity. There- 
fore war insures our damnation. 

The command of our Lord to love our brethren is a 
test of discipleship. But in war we are compelled to 
kill our brethren. Therefore, war destroys our diseiple- 
ship. 

‘‘ Without peace and holiness no man shall see God.’’ 
But war destroys peace and holiness. Therefore, war- 
riors cannot see God. 


i 


FORTY-ONE SYLLOGISMS 191 





In the Lord’s prayer we pray that God’s will be done 
on earth as it is done in Heaven. But they do not kill 
each other in Heaven. Therefore, when we kill each 
other in war we nullify the Lord’s prayer. 

In the Lord’s prayer we pray that God will forgive 
our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against 
us. But in war we kill those who trespass against us. 
Therefore, we pray that God would kill us. 

The Golden Rule requires that we do to men as we 
would that they would do unto us. But in war we kill 
men. Therefore, we invoke death at their hands. 

All liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth 
with fire and brimstone. But military strategy is sci- 
entific lying. Therefore, Christ and militarists are in- 
- compatible. 

All Christians are brothers and of equal social rank. 
But military law destroys social equality. Therefore, 
military law, and the law of Christ are incompatible. 

Christianity develops and exalts moral standards. 
But war debases and destroys mora! standards. There- 
fore, war and Christianity are incompatible. 

The second commandment of our Lord is, to love our 
neighbor as ourself. But war commands us to kill our 
neighbor. Therefore, war destroys the commands of 
our Lord. | 

Satan, who inspires all wars. transforms himself into 
an Angel of light, and his ministers into ministers of 
righteousness. But clericals preach war. Therefore, 
such clericals are his ministers transformed into min- 
 isters of righteousness. | 

Liars are called the children of the devil. But he 
who says he loves God and hates his brother is a liar. 
_ Therefore, he who hates and kills his brother is a child! 
of the devil. 

Our Savior is called ‘‘the Prince of Peace.’’ But war 
destroys peace. Therefore, war destroys the work of 
our Savior. And is therefore, incompatible with him. 


192 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


The measure we mete to our brethren shall be meted 
to us. But in war the measure we mete to our breth- 
ren is death. Therefore, God will mete death to us. 

The following syllogisms relate to those scriptures 
which are construed by lovers of war in favor of its 
justification by our Lord. 

Our Lord drove the thieves out of the Temple by 
physical force. But he used a whip or small cord in 
the performance of the deed. Therefore, the force was 
moral and not. physical. 

Our Lord came not to send peace but a sword. ’ But 
in the same utterance he said he came to destroy the 
harmony of the household. Therefore, the utterance 
emphasized the result and not the purpose of his com- 
ing. : 
Our Lord’s ordained apostle said we must obey rul- 
ers, and therefore, when rulers command us to kill our 
brethren in war, we must obey them. But he tells us 
also that we should not obey them when they command 
us to disobey God. Therefore, a command of our rulers 
to. kill our brethren in war is not binding. 

We must protect our families against robbers and 
murderers. But faith and trust in our Lord are more 
effective than guns. Therefore, their protection does 
not require us to violate the command that ‘‘we shall 
not kill.’’ 

In the Old Testament, God is called a God of war. 
But we are not under the old, but under the New Testa- 
ment teachings. Therefore, being under the leadership 
of Christ, the Prince of Peace, we are not subject to 
the conditions of that dispensation. 

The foregoing testimonies, arguments and conclu- 
sions are so comprehensive and definite that nothing 
but the direct inspiration of Satan, through his minis- 
ters, can gainsay or refute them. There are over three 
hundred direct references in the New Testament which 
affirm that love and peace are dominant passions that 


AN INTERESTING DREAM 193 


underlie the entire fabric of the plan of salvation, 
which our Lord brought from his Heavenly Father, 
and by which alone the salvation of our souls is assured. 

I prayerfully submit them to the calm, honest consid- 
eration of all whose hearts are open to the light of the 
revealed word and will of our loving Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ. 


——_—. 
ee 
Se cele elie 


AN INTERESTING DREAM 

It may not be regarded as comformable to the design 
of this work on Christianity vs. War to publish a dream 
such as that which appears herein but when we con- 
sider such a phenomenon to be in harmony with one of 
the many beautiful features of this gospel dispensation 
which is recorded in the book of Joel it may be recog- 
nized as harmonious with our purpose to vindicate 
spiritual agencies in any form that it pleased God to 
confer on His children. Note the prophetic forecast in 
the book of Joel 2:28. ‘‘ And it shall come to pass after- 
ward that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh and 
your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your old 
men shall dream dreams and’ your young men shall see 
visions.’’ | 

This was confirmed several hundred years later by 
the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost noted in Acts 
2:17. ‘‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, (as 
spoken by the prophet Joel), saith God, I will pour out 
my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters 
shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions 
and your old men shall dream dreams.”’ 

We are still passing through the ‘‘last days’’ to 
which reference was made and it is cause for wonder 
and some degree of apprehension why those signs of 
the work of the spirit of God are wanting in the expe- 
rience of His people. Can any one explain or illuminate 
the mystery ? 


194 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR > 


Many of the most important events in the history of 
God’s dealing with His people have been foretold in 
dreams. Have we lost that spirit? Can we recover it 
by believing His Word? May our prayers be sent to 
the Father in its behalf. 

God saw fit in his infinite wisdom. to reveal to me the 
death of my dear son and also gave me the assurance 
of him being prepared to enter the home prepared by 
the Savior. The Savior says, ‘‘I go to prepare a place 
for you that where I am ye may be also.’’ 

Two years before his death his mangled body was 
presented to me in a dream. The dream impressed me 
very much. It was this. I thought a friend came to 
me and said, ‘‘Did you know your son had been 
killed?’’ I said, ‘No.’’ My friend said, ‘‘Come and go 
with me and I will show you.’’ I thought my friend 
took me to a room and uncovered a casket that con- 
tained his mangled body. I thought I said, ‘‘It is hard 
to give him up but I am glad I have nothing to regret.’’ 
I have been a dutiful mother toward him. I have been 
patient, loving and kind and at all times I have en- 
couraged him to live a life that would be acceptable in 
the sight of the Lord. This dream was one year before 
he was drafted. 

I was very watchful of myself after this dream. I 
felt if anything happened to him I wanted to feel as I 
had in this dream and be able to say I have nothing to. 
regret, I have done my duty. 

He was away from home at the time I had the dream. 
It seemed to me as though the time would never come 
for his return and when he did come I cried aloud and 
he wept also and said, ‘‘ Why, mother, what is wrong?”’ 

T told him I was so glad to see him I just had to ery. 
1 did not tell him my dream but told him I had been 
very uneasy about him and had been praying and ask- 
ing God to let me see him once more. 

I kept my thoughts to myself but from this time on 





AN INTERESTING DREAM 195 





I took special pains to do everything that was in my 
power for his comfort and happiness for I felt the 
time was near at hand for his departure from this 
world. 


My extreme kindness toward him became noticeable 
to the family and they remarked, ‘‘Mother, you are 
making a perfect pet of Virgil. Why do you do so much 
for him?’’ [ still did not tell why but deep in my heart 
was a hidden secret I did not reveal until after his 
death. 


He was killed in action October 19, 1918 but we did 
not receive the sad news until five weeks after he had 
been killed. I learned through a comrade that a shell 
burst at his feet and his body was mangled just as I 
had dreamed. 


After he was drafted I had no hopes of his return 
but my greatest concern was to encourage him to be 
prepared to meet his Master. 


After he was sent to France I prayed constantly for 
his return but always ended my prayers by saying, 
‘“Give me strength to say ‘thy will be done.’ ”’ 

I felt especially anxious for his soul and in each let- 
ter encouraged him to be prepared. 

During a period of extreme uneasiness about him 
losing his life I dreamed I heard a noise as if someone 
was walking in his room upstairs. I thought someone 
said to me, ‘‘ Virgil has come home and is going back 
without you seeing him.’’ I thought if he does not 
- want me to see him that is all right—but I am going to 
eall him and tell him to pray. I thought I went in the 
hall at the bottom of the steps and called him I was 
going to say, ‘‘ Virgil pray.’’ I thought just as I called 
his name he came flying by me with body and wings 
as white as snow. I watched him fly out at the door 
and go sailing away. I thought I did not get to tell 
him to pray but my mind was satisfied for I knew of a 


196 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 








certainly he had already been praying or else he would 
not have been changed into that kind of a form. 

This dream was near the time of his death but before 
and has been a great consolation to me for I believe it 
was God’s own way of revealing my son’s death to me 
and giving me assurance that my prayers had been 
heard and his soul would be saved. 


After he had been killed but before we received the 
news I had another dream. I thought I went into a 
large room for the purpose of eating the Lord’s Supper. 
I thought when I entered the room they were through 
eating. I went up to the table and thought I would 
partake of the supper anyway though they were 
through. My son came to me and made signs that 
meant I could not eat, I was too late, but if I was Im 
time for the next feast I could partake then. I thought 
I saw no one but deacons and they were all dressed in 
white robes. I was so rejoiced to see my son a deacon. 


I thought the room larger than any room I ever saw. ~ 


The walls and everything in the room were pure white. 
The tables were draped with beautiful white curtains 
that slid together and hid them from view after the 
supper was ended. Such a sight of beauty and perfeec- 
tion I had never seen as was this and its furnishings. 
Not a word was spoken by anyone. Everything was 
made known by signs and gestures. I awoke with the 
touch of my son’s hand on my hand and it was time to 
get up. This was the morning of the day that we re- 
ceived the sad news ‘‘On the Battle Field Dead.’’ 

My heart has been made very sad but I know the 
Lord never makes any mistakes. 

After I heard of his death I was very anxious about 
his soul, how he died, and whether we would receive 
any message later of his dying words that would com- 
fort me. We did not. 

Again I had another dream. I saw him come march- 





AN INTERESTING DREAM 197 


‘ing in the room. I looked up at him and said, ‘‘ Why 
Virgil, I thought you were dead.’’ 

‘‘T am mother, but I knew you were anxious about 
my soul and I came back so you could see for your- 
self.’’ | 

I looked at him and such a shining countenance and 
such perfection I had never seeen. I thought I said, 
‘*Yes Virgil, I can see for myself that you are saved.’’ 

I thought there were three young men with him. I 
asked him who they were. He said, ‘‘They are three 
young men of ‘like precious faith’ who got killed in the 
war. They are also saved and are my guardian an- 
gels.’’ 

He vanished without another word and I watched 
them march away. [ awoke and praised God for the 
things that had been revealed to me. 

After writing some of the things I believed to be 
revealed to me by the Lord I stopped writing for a few 
weeks. I dreamed a man came to me and said, ‘‘ Have 
you finished recording those things which have been 
revealed to you?’’ 

I said ‘‘No.’’ 

He said ‘‘ Why have you not? Go finish them.’’ 

I looked and behold it was a man of God talking to 
me. [I felt rebuked for I could see by the expression 
of his countenance that he thought I ought to have had 
it done. 

My dear son did not want to go to war and wept a 

number of times after he found out he had to go. He 
did not believe in war, yet he was forced to go. He 
succeeded in getting noncombative service and belonged 
te the Signal Corps. 
- After he was killed we received an official notice of 
his death and burial and also had the promise of the 
return of his body at the proper time. when the time 
came about that they began to return the bodies I had 
another dream. 


198 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





I dreaméd my son came in the room and sat down 
near me. I thought I said, ‘‘ Virgil, I thought you got 
killed. Let me see where you were wounded.”’ 

I thought he said, ‘‘Mother, they got my body but 
they did not get me. I have a new body now, one 
without wounds. Don’t touch me mother.’’ 

He vanished immediately. 

In a few days we received a letter saying they were 
to convey the sad! news to us but they were afraid they 
would not be able to return our son’s body as there 
was no such grave on record. 

I remembered my dream and said to his father, 
‘“‘They got his body but they did not get him.’’ , 

These dreams have been a source of inspiration to 
me. They help me live nearer the cross and give me 
strength to bear my sorrow. 

It is hard for a mother to give up her son to the 


cruelties of war but when I forget myself and give 


over to grief something seems to say, ‘‘Why weep He 
is Ssaved.’’ 





— i Fa 


CHRIST vs. SATAN 199 


CHRIST vs. SATAN 


What makes a laughing-stock of Christ? 

And what unchains the hideous beast? 

And bars for age the Brother’s feast? 
Carnal war. 


What sets at nought a brother’s love, 

And which unwings the gentle dove, 

And shuts the door to rest above? 
Carnal war. 


What makes a mock of sweetest peace, 
Through the earth, North, South, and East, 
And gives to sorrow no surcease? 

Carnal war. 


What makes a happy joyous devil 

And gives mankind a bloody revel, 

And which enthrones the prince of Evil? 
Carnal war. 


What is the best symbol of Hell, 

And where, in blood, a million fell, 

To damning black for tongue to tell? 
Carnal war. 


What is the curse of happy homes, 

Enshrouded in eternal gloom 

In which no light can ever come? 
Carnal war. 


What brings damnation to ‘‘Good will,’’ 

And brings to men supremest ill, 

In fullest measure, our sad hearts fill? 
Carnal war. 


What blasts our hopes and what enthralls, . 
With bloody banners, stark, unfurled, 
Grim demons of the underworld? 

Carnal war. 


200 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





What wastes our wealth, the gift of God, 
Destroyed, relentless, by the sword, 
Contravening the sacred Word? 

Carnal war. 


What is the world’s supreme destroyer, 

What brings deluge of assured horror, 

What forbids surcease of sorrow? 
Carnal war. 


What wrecked the lands where roses bloomed, 
Where love rejoiced and then was doomed, 
To bleak despair; by wrath consumed? 

Carnal war. 


What fills the graveyards with our youth, 

And laughs to scorn the claims of truth, 

Mocking, replies, forsooth, forsooth? 
Carnal war. 


By what does Satan lead astray, 

The pseudo-churchman far away, 

From love and peace, from faith in prayer? 
Carnal war. 


What breaks our morals by deflation, 

And creates evil by inflation, 

And spreads destruction by erosion? 
Carnal war. 


What spreads the plague of weeping widows,. 

Whose hearts are sad and filled with shadows, 

And dismal night enshrouds their pillows? 
Carnal war. 


What fills the land with myriad murder, 
Of brother, which makes angels shudder, 
Defying God in tones of thunder? 

Carnal war. 


What breaks New Testament commands, 

And sets at nought our Lord’s demands, 

To give our foes the helping hand? 
Carnal war. 





- 


CHRIST vs. SATAN 201 





What scourge is greater than all others, 

Killing, maiming, hating brothers, 

Their homes huge piles of smoking embers? 
Carnal war. 


What plays a brother ’gainst a brother, 

And makes them simply ‘‘cannon fodder,’’ 

Which makes the heathen stare in wonder? 
Carnal war. 


What fills the earth with ghastly famine, 

Untimely death and murd’rous rapine, 

Exalting butchers, shouting, gambling’ 
Carnal war. 


What fills the earth with ‘helpless orphans, 
The fathers killed to swell huge fortunes, 
Of autocratic, soulless gormands? 

Carnal war. 


What makes men great by worldly measure, 

Greater far than Heaven’s treasure, 

Immune from fault or cynic’s censure? 
Carnal war. 


Why are pacifists reviled, 

By press and preacher, tame and wild? 

Because they scout the wicked guile 
Carnal war. 


Why did the Jews reject our Lord? 

Because He bade them sheathe the sword, 

And taught in thought and deed and word. 
’Gainst carnal war. 


What note wll be the trumpet’s bound, 
Which marks the sign of time’s grim bound? 
Adieu the cross, and weleome crown. 

Dead Carnal war. 


What robbed us of sweetest joy? . 

What took from us our darling boy? 

What made his life a broken toy? 
Red carnal war. 


202 


CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


What.breaks our moral standards down, 
What spreads o’er the earth bleak starless doom, 
What bars us from the heavenly home? 

Carnal war. 


What scourge will disappear from earth 

When Christ will bring His angels forth 

To bind in chains Satanic wrath? 
Carnal war. 


What marks the differential trait 

Of preaching love and preaching hate 

On this side of the golden gate? 
Carnal war. 


What is the height of worldly glory, 

As taught in pulpit, song and story, 

Which leaves our souls unclothed and gory? 
Carnal war. 


What will redeem the world’s lost soul, 

And bring it to the promised goal, 

And save it from hell’s damning shoal? 
Love. 


What is the richest thing on earth, 

The thing which brings to Satan death, 

Which crowned our Lord with heaven’s wreath? 
Love. 


What is the sweetest song e’er sung, 

By angels, with immortal tongue, 

‘Peace and good will’’ by harpist rung? 
Love. 


What will heal earth’s deadly wound, 

And purify the bloody ground, 

And with Heaven’s acclaim resoundé 
Love. 


What is the message of the Word, 

Which brought redemption through our Lord, 

Which shields, for aye, the bloody sword? 
Love. 


MY SON 203 


What is the symbol of the dove 

Blest fruit and power of Jesus’ love 

Brought from His Father in Heaven above? 
Peace. 


What will restore the Golden Age? 
What grace affirmed on every page? 
What inspires Satanic rage? 

Peace. 


What is the will of God in Heaven? 

For which we pray morn, noon, and evening, 

Which purges the world of unclean demons? 
Peace. 


What will rebuild the long lost home 

What will spell the blood-lust doom 

And bring joy where mortals roam? 
Peace. 


What will bring the Halcyon days 

And stay the bloody hand of Mars 

And fill our crowns with brilliant stars? 
Peace. 


—The Author. 
SS 


A Poem eomposed by our bereaved sister, Mrs. Mottorn of 
Tennessee on the death of her son who was killed in battle in 
France, October 1918. 


MY SON 


The news has come—on the field of battle, dead; 
Sorrow is mine but there is no more dread. 

I am his mother; see I do not say 

I was; he is, not was, my son today. 

He rests, is safe, is well: he is at ease 

From pain, cold, thirst, and fever of disease, 
And horror of red tasks undone or done. 

Now he has dropped the load he bore, my son. 
And now my heart is lightened of all fears. 


204 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Sorrow is»mine and streams of lonely tears, 
But not too heavy for the carrying is 

The burden that is only mine, not his, 

At eventide I may lay down my head, 

Not wondering upon what dreadful bed 
Perchange—nay, all but certainly—he lies; 
And with the morn I may in turn arise, 
Glad of the light, of food, now he 

Is where sweet waters and green meadows be, 
And golden apples, How it was he died 

I know not, but my heart is satisfied; 
Never again of all my days will one 

Bring anguish for the anguish of my son. 


Sorrow is mine, but there is no more dread 
The word has come—On the field of battle dead.’’ 


Read at the burial of our son, Clovis, by Rev. George Flory, 
September 10, 1921 


SOMETIME 


Some time, when all life’s lessons have been learned 
And suns and stars forevermore have set, 
The things which our weak judgments here have spurned— 
The things over which we grieved with lashes wet— 
Will flash before us, and life’s dark night, 
As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue, 
And we shall see how all God’s plans were right, 
And what most seemed reproof was love most true. 


And if, sometimes, commingled with life’s wine, 
We find the wormwood, and rebel and shrink, 
Be sure a wised hand than yours or mine 
Pours out this portion for our lips to drink; 
And if some friend we love is lying low, 
Where human kisses cannot reach his face, 
Oh, do not blame the loving Father so, 
But wear your sorrow with obedient Grace. . 


WAR 205 





But not today, then be content, poor heart; 
God’s plans, like lilies, pure and white unfold; 
We must not fear the close-shut leaves apart— 
Time will reveal the calyxes of gold; 
And if, through patient toil, we reach the land 
Where tired feet with sandals loosed may rest, 
Where we shall clearly know and understand, 
I think that we will say, ‘‘God knew the best.’’ 


SS 


WAR 


War 

I abhor! 

The battle stench. 

The wrath and wrench 

Of an outrageous fate; 

The wickedness of hate! 

And yet how sweet 

The sound along the marching street 
Of drum and fife, and I forget 
Broken old mothers, and the whole 
Dark butchering without a soul. 


Without a soul—save this bright treat 
Of heady music, sweet as hell! 

And even my peace-abiding feet 

Go marching with the marching feet, 

For yonder goes the fife, 

And does it care for human life? 

The tears fill my astonished eyes, 

And my full heart should banquet well 
Upon this nectar ere it break, 

For lo, ’tis all embannered lies, 

A dream those drummers make. 


Oh, ’tis a wickedness to clothe 

Yon hideous, grinning thing that stalks 
Hidden in music, like a queen 

Of hopeless Death, that may be seen 
Often amid the ways and walks 

Of life, or in a garden of glory, 


206 _ CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Beguiling with its lurid story 

*Til good meu" love the things they loathe. 
ART, thou has many infamies, 

But not an infamy life this! 

Oh, snap the fife and still the drum, 

And show the monster as she is. 


—Author Unknown. 


== 





This poem is dedicated to the fathers and mothers whose 
sons were killed in the world war by the brutal decree of 


wicked rulers: 


SHALL WE MEET? 


By H. L. HASTINGS 
Author’s Complete Edition 


This little poem was written by H. L. Hastings near the 
beginning of the year 1858, as a letter to an only brother. A 
part of it has been repeatedly set to music; some millions of 
copies have been printed and it has been sung in every quar- 
ter of the globe. 


Shall we meet beyond the river, 
Where the surges cease to roll? 
Where, in all the bright forever 
Sorrow ne’er shall press the soul? 
Shall we meet with those departed 
Who have bowed beneath death’s wave? 
Shall we meet the holy myriads, 
Who are ransomed from the grave? 


Shall we meet?. Shall we meet? 
Say, Brother, shall we meet? 


Shall we meet in glory’s morning, 
After time’s dark, gloomy night? 
Shall we hail its radiant dawning, 
Scattering sorrow with its light? 
Shall we meet where all time’s shadows 
To oblivion flee away? 
Shall we meet amid the brightness 
of an everlasting day? 





SHALL WE MEET? 207 





Shall we meet with all the ransomed, 
When our pilgrimage is past? 
Shall we reach that blessed mansion 
We so long have sought, at last? 
Shall we meet beyond the desert, 
Far beyond the weary road? 
Shall we meet in joy immortal— 
Shall we in our flesh see God? 


Shall we meet in that blest harbor 
When our stormy voyage is o’er? 
Shall we meet and cast the anchor 
By the fair celestial shore? 
Shall we rest from all our labors 
’Mid the swelling of the tide? 
Shall we meet and rest forever, 
By our blessed Saviour’s side? 


Shall we meet in realms of glory, 
With the ransomed and the blest? 
Shall we meet with all the holy, 
When they enter into rest? 
Shall we meet with those whose brightness 
Shall the noonday sun outshine; 
Who shall bear the Saviour’s likeness 
In its majesty divine? 


Shall we meet with many a loved one 
That was torn from our embrace? 

Shall we listen to their voices, 

And behold them face to face?— 

All the cherished and the longed for 
Those whose absence made life weary 
Those whose graves are moist with tears; 
Through the dark and tedious years? 


Shall we meet those buds of promise 
Blighted by death’s chilling hand? 

Shall we see their fadeless beauty 
Blooming in the goodly land? 

Shall our hearts no more lie bleeding 
’Neath the strokes of sorrow’s rod? 

Shall love’s bands no more be sundered, 
In the paradise of God? 


208 





CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





Shall we meet with those invited 
To the marriage of the Lamb, 
Who shall then put on their glory, 
And forget their earthly shame? 
Shall we meet the shining myriads 
Who the songs of glory sing? 
Shall our voices join their praises 

To the Everlasting King? 


Shall we meet with Christ our Saviour, 
When he comes to claim his own? 
Shall we know his blessed favor, 
And sit down upon his throne? 
Will he bid us share his glory, 
Where no shame shall ever be? 
Will he bid us sing his praises, 
On that radiant crystal sea? a 
Shall we meet the shining angels 
Who have guarded us while here? 
Shall we listen to their welcomes, 
And return their words of cheer? 
Shall we be their bright companions, 
Far beyond this land of tears? 
Shall we share their holy raptures 
Through the lapse of endless years? 


Shall we meet in yonder city, 
Where the towers of crystal shine, 
Where the walls are all of jasper, 
Built by workmanship divine? 
Where the music of the ransomed 
Rolls in harmony around, 
And creation swells the chorus, 
With its sweet melodious sound? 


Shall we meet by life’s pure river, 
Where pellucid waters glide; 

Where the healing leaves and flowers 
Deck the shores on either side, 

Where salvation’s blessed harpings 
Float in holy melody, 

Where the monthly fruits are ripening 
On life’s fair immortal tree? 





VOX POPULI, VOX DEI? — 209 





Shall we meet, O lonely pilgrim, 
When the burden we lay down? 

Shall we change our cross of anguish 
For the bright, unfading crown? 

Do we love our Lord’s appearing? 
Shall we gladly see his face? 

Shall it beam with smiles of welcome? 
Shall he bring us endless grace? 


Shall we meet, O weary wanderer, 
Say, oh, will you meet me there, 

When earth’s glory shall be darkness, 
And its joy shall be despair; 

When before the throne of judgment 
We shall all together stand, 

~ Will you pray and strive to meet me 

With the blest at Christ’s right hand? 


——_ 
————— 


VOX POPULI, VOX DEI? 


(The following poem was written by Mr. Joshua L. Bailey, 
Jr., a graduate of Haverford College, Pa. He is at present 
among the conscientious objectors in the Detention Camp at 
Camp Meade, Md. Mr. Bailey’s grandfather was the founder 
of the Pennsylvania Arbitration and Peace Society. His peo- 
ple, for generations, have been members of the Friends, or 
Quakers. Mr. Bailey himself is a member of a Friends’ organ- 
ization known as the ‘‘ Fellowship of Reconciliation,—an organ- 
ization which forbids its members to participate in war. He 
was delighted to know that the atttude of the Church of the 
Brethren concerning war, is identical with that of his own re- 
ligious sect. When asked by one of our brethren, in the same 
Detention Camp in which he is, for a copy of his poem for our 
church paper, he said he would be glad to present it with his 
compliments to our people.—E. Russell Hicks, Camp Meade, 
Md., care of Medical Division of Base Hospital.) 


The martial trumpet’s blatant fanfare tone, 
The snare drum’s rythmic and percussive beat, 
The strident fife, whose note is shrilly blown 
To mark the time for countless trampling feet. 


210 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





All these are indications that reveal 

A state of mind that cries: ‘‘Prepare for war.’’- 
We see the glint of sun on polished steel 

And hear the cannon’s fulminating roar, 


Why do the nations rage, and why the folk 
Imagine to profane the soul in vain? 

Whose voice is that above the battle’s smoke, 
Reverberating o’er the silent slain? 


It calls across the water to the west: 

‘*Can you not hear your dying brother’s groan? 
Why do you stay at home and idly rest 

And let us tread the winepress all alone? 


‘*For we have borne the burden of the day 
And we have striven while there yet was light. 
The night is coming, help us while you may; 
Take up the sword and shield, arise and smite. 


‘*Arise and smite the tyrant in your wrath 
And drive him from the desert he has made, 

Let it be told in Askelon and Gath : 
That you fell short when in the balance weighed.’’ 


To such expression who dare make reply? 
Or tell why we should turn the other cheek? 
The wind, the fire, the earthquake, all pass by 
To let the still small voice of conscience speak. 


Shall might alone make right? shall every man 
Demand an eye for eye, or tooth for tooth? 

Is such an ethic grounded on his plan 
Whose worship is in spirit and in truth? 


When men have beat their pruning-hooks to knives 
And drained their brother’s blood into the dust, 
What profiteth this sacrifice of lives 
To prove in sight of God their cause was just? 


Or, if angelic legions from the sky 
Had stood on guard before Gethsemane, 
Could they have served the Christ who came to die 
And by his dying set his people free? 


VOX POPULI, VOX DEI? 211 





Though military methods may prevail, 

They kill the flesh, but can not change the heart. 
Love is the only power that can not fail 

To save from sin, and righteousness impart. 


Though we forgive till seven,—ten times seven,— 
Forgiveness without love is nothing worth. 
How can he know well do his will in heaven, 
It we neglect to do his will on earth? 


it is not ours to reap with carnal sword 
The sanguinary heritage of Cain. 
*Tis ours to be disciples of the Lord, 
To bind up wounds and soothe the suff’rers’ pain. 


’Tis ours to bear the standards of reform, 
’Tis ours to right the wrongs that war has done, 
’Tis ours to take our stand against the storm 
Until the victory of peace be won. 


Why should we fear to step where he has trod? 
To bear his cross, to wear his thorny wreath? 
Our dwelling-place is the eternal God 
Whose everlasting arms are underneath. 


Does our faith falter? Do we feel the loss 

Of all that life holds dear? Does hope grow dim? 
The sign wherein we conquer is the cross, 

Our countersign, Adonai Elohim. 


To thee, our Father, thou who art above, 
Whose glory doth the firmament declare, 
We give our thanks for thy eternal love 
And ask that thou make answer to our prayer. 


Look down and see if there be any sorrow 
That can compare with war-inflicted pain. 

For ten good men thou wouldst have saved Gomorrah, 
So give thy people peace on earth again. 


Grant us thy peace, that time may come at last 
When flags of war shall evermore be furled. 
When this dark night of bloodshed shall be past, 

And brighter day shall dawn for all the world. 


“ay 


212 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





_ © GOD OF PEACE 


Thou God of might and justice Who alone of all art God! 

Who seeest with Omnipresent eye all peoples of the earth, 
- Who seest with everseeing eye the way the nations trod 
An¢ trampled strong on weaker wantonly in wicked mirth, 


O, mighty One, stay not Thy hand from ever watchful care, 
Nor close Thine Eye nor leave alone thy people to their sin; 

Nor let again stern swords be drawn ner guns in anger flare; 
Close not thine ear to us, dear God, in raging battles’ din. 


Let not again a clash of swords pierce and alarm the peace, 
Nor firearms kill in cruelty, deal death in bitter hate, 
Nor earth be sodden, red with blood the gaping wounds release 
As stiff and stark the thousand forms for grim greed meet 
such fate. 


Let not thy noble sons again turn mad, and slay, and kill, 
And hate their brothers bitterly for no hate of their own; 
Learn cruelty unspeakable, most cunning in its skill 
To challenge ghastly death and wounds and piteous eries and 
groans. . 


In war strong might exalted is, and millions die in dust, 
Kings are rejected and brought low, and Bolshevists are rife; 
Commerce of nations is destroyed when money burns in lust, 
When might is right, and kingly kindness turns to hate and 
strife. 


Let peace prevail nor grim death boldly enter into ranks of men, 
To slay them ruthlessly as weeds and swell the stench of hell. 
Will mothers bow their souls in pain for a man-child again? 
They have no sons for slaughtering, they love them far too 
well. 


Have pity on the mothers as they sit alone at night, 
Some silently in frozen grief aghast at such keen pain; 
Too keen for prayer in knowing that some field is all alight, 
Intent to kill their man-child, and their agony is in vain. 


With war is hunger, rags, and cold, and children bitterly 
Will weep and cry in wretchedness without that home and 
love, 
Which theirs by right inheritance is anguished misery; 
Give us instead of warring arms, the peace-shade of the dove. 


vo 


O GOD OF PEACE 213 





Does thy heart weep, O tender God, when little children ery 
Because their fathers went away and may come home no moref 

But hunger comes and famine haunts till terribly they die; 
God speed the day when cruel wars curse children never more. 


May kingdoms learn that love is best abiding in the hearts. 
That greater far the blessings are in honoring the right; 

The Son of God is wondrous love and blessed peace imparts, 
And love and peace fulfilling are more powerful than might. 


Replace grim war, dear God of peace, with quietness and rest, 
And give for hate thy wondrous love for foe as well as friend. 
That seeking not destruction, but thy golden rule, were blest; 
That not by warring arms but love thy kingdom will expand. 


O, God of peace, let thy strong arm adjust each nations’ wrong: 
The Son of God be King of men and rule the world in love, 
Then shall the strong be meek and kind, the weak one shall be 
strong. 
And all things right and all the earth full-fragrant from 
above. 


Dissolve the strength of warring arms to bitter, flowing tears, 
Diffuse repentance in the heart to fill with peace sublime. 

And grant to all, instead of hate, a love to fill the years; 
For this may haste the merging of eternity and time. 


Thy Son a King, then were the earth a paradise indeed! 
The beasts, strong drink, and lust, and war, and satan well sub- 
dued. 
Thy children, men, from human stench and wicked passions 
freed, 
Were earth, sinsick, and swelled with dead, by Christ, thy 
Son renewed. URSULA MILLER, 
Hesston, Kansas. 





CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





* THE ORPHAN BOY 


Ajas! I am an orphan boy, 
With nought on earth to cheer my heart; 
No father to love, no mother’s joy, 
Nor kin, nor friend, to take my part, 
My mother lies in the cold, cold ground, 
My father lies over the deep blue sea. 
And when the kiss of love goes round 
There is no kiss, alas! for me. 


But once I had a father dear, 
A mother too, whom I did prize; 
With ready hand she’d wipe the tear 
If chanced a transient tear to rise; 
But cause of tears was rarely found, 
For all my heart was youthful glee; 
And when the kiss of love went round, 
How sweet a kiss there was for me; 


But ah! there came a war, they say, 
What is a war, I cannot tell; 
But drums and fifes did sweetly play, 
And loudly rang our village bell. 
In truth it was a pretty sound. 
I thought, nor could I thence foresee, 
That when the kiss of love went round 
There soon would be no kiss for me. 


A khaki suit my father took, 
With buttons like the gold you see; 
And buckles that so gaily look, 
And all with khaki cap had he, 
Then how my little heart did bound! 
Alas! I thought it fine to see; 
Nor dreamt that when the kiss went round 
There soon would be no kiss for me. 


At length the bells again did ring; 
There was a victory, they said; 

*"Twas what my father said he’d bring, 
But ah! it brought my father dead. 
My mother shrieked, her heart was woe; 

She clasped me to her trembling knee, 
Oh God! that you may never know 
How wild a kiss she gave to me! 


PREPAREDNESS 215 


But once again,—But once again, 

These lips a mother’s kisses felt. 
That once again,—That once again, 

The tale a heart of stone would melt, 
*Twas when upon her death-bed laid, 

A dreadful, dreadful sight to see! 
‘“My child!—My child!’’ she feebly said, 

And gave a parting kiss to me. 


So now I am an orphan boy, 
With nought below, my heart to cheer, 
No mother’s love, no father’s joy. 
Nor kin, nor friend to wipe the tear 
My mother lies in the cold, cold ground, 
My father lies o’er the deep blue sea 
And when the kiss of love goes round 
There is no kiss, no kiss for me. 
—S8. G. COOK. 


PREPAREDNESS 


Preparedness. Preparedness. Ah, hear that constant cry 

That is wafted from the valleys to the One who rules on high. 

Aye—and true it is, preparedness I would have my children 
learn, 

And would they heed my message, for what they’d soon discern. 


‘Not preparedness for legal murder, not prepared for cruel war, 
Not prepared with shells and cannon to cover fields with gore. 
Not prepared with poison gases, lives to take, or wreck complete, 
Not prepared with submarine terror to sink thousands in the 


deep. 


But prepared to live and let live, to reach out a hand of love, 

To those left across the waters, ’Tis my Spirit, emblemed, Dove. 

Yes, prepared to fight Life’s battles with a courage strong and 
true, 

_ Men who heed the Master’s message dare to live or die, Do you? 


216 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





_ THE WASTE OF WAR 


Give me the gold that war has cost, 
Before this peace expanding day,— 
The wasted skill, the labor lost, 
The mental treasure thrown away; 
And I will buy each rod of soil 
In every yet discovered land, 
Where hunters roam, where peasants toil, 
Where many peopled cities stand. 


I’ll clothe each shivering wretch on earth 
In needful robes, in brave attire; 
Vesture befitting, banquet, mirth, 
Which kings might envy and admire. 
In every vale, on every plain, 
A school shall pierce the gazer’s sight, 
Where every poor man’s child may gain 
Pure knowledge, free as air and light. 


In very crowded town shall rise 
Halls academic amply graced 
Where ignorance may soon be wise 
And coarseness learn both art and taste 
To every province shall belong 
Collegiate structures, and not a few, 
Filled with a truth expounding throng 
And teachers of the good and true. 


In every free and peopled clime, 
A vast Valhalla hall shall stand, 
A marble edifice sublime. 
For the illustrious of the land; 
A pantheon for the truly great, 
The wise benificent and just; 
A place of wide and lofty state, 
To honor or to hold their dust. 


A temple to attract and teach 
Shall lift its spire on every hill. 
Where pious men shall feel and preach 
Peace, mercy, tolerance. good will; 
Music of bells on Sabbath days. 
Round the whole earth shall gladly rise, 
And one great Christian Song of Praise. 
Stream sweetly upward to the skies. 
—S. G. COOK. 


PRO-CLERICAL DIATRIBES 217 





PRO-CLERICAL MILITARISM DIATRIBES 


How long Oh God of love 

Shall men with hood and cowl look stark and cold 
And close their ears to the sweet cooing dove 

In face of battle mould? 


Your sacred gowns defiled 

With blood and tears; you could have stayed the tide, 
By false angels of light your souls beguiled, 

Your blessed Lord deride. 


Cast the false surplice off 

While your hand and heart with blood is stained 
And widows. orphans at your treasure scoff 

In saddest refrain . 


Lay down the bloody sword. 
In Jesus’ name declare to all the earth. 
Love and good will by warrant of the Word 
Is our latest birth. 


Are ye men of God? 

And will ye not His Son’s blest gospel preach 
Brotherhood of races by love begot, 

Bid grim war surcease? 


Say not the false debt 
We owe the wicked rulers of a lost world 
Calls for carnal war and warrants and abets 
Satan’s flag unfurled. 


The sad world is sick 

’Tis cold and dead, because. beneath your gown 
Is hid the angel song, so sweet, so rich. 

And generations mourn, 


The wayward angels lost 
Their first estate because they did not heed 
God’s will supreme, and now they’ve gone across 
The Stygian meade. 


Lay your cassock down. 
It was not made for aught but peace and love. 
The holy vestments, the surplice, hood and gown, 
Emblems of the dove. 


218 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





What makes Satan smile? 
The clergy and the martial heroes pals. 
Zion and the war god Mars, unsavory guile? 
Fighting parsons, et als. 


They pray with fetid breath 
‘«Thy will be done on earth as ’tis in Heaven’’ 
And then they bring to brother’s home bleak death. 
A demon’s heaven, 


Great God how long will men 
Spill blood of million boys in 'Thy blest name. 
And praise Thee when the vile butchery is done 
With wrathful tongues aflame? 


You see and taste the blood 
Of millions slain on gory battle fields. 
It covers your surplice, your gown and hood 
And damns your sodden soul. 


Is the last hope dead? 
Nay, grim and ghastly though the verdict stands, 
Your Savior beckons, give Him your heart and head, 
Acclaim the ‘‘ golden strand’’ 


And when the Judge shall come 
And write your name in doomsday’s fateful book 
And you shall not be barred from that blest home 
O’er the crystal brook. 


Oh haste the happy day 
When ordained heraids shall with heart and voice 
Exalt Thy Son and bid the murderers arm to stay 
In honor of the cross. 


—The Author. 


WAR IS HELL 219 





THE POWER OF LOVE 


Were half the power that fills the world with terror, 

Were half the wealth bestowed on camps and courts, 
Given to redeem the human mind from error, 

There were no need of arsenals and forts. 
The warrior’s name would be a name abhorred. 

And every nation that should lift again 
Its hand against a brother, on its forehead 

Would appear forevermore the curse of Cain. 


Down the dark future through long generations 

The echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease. 
And like a bell with solemn sweet vibrations, 

I hear once more the voice of Christ say ‘‘ Peace.’’ 
Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals, 

The blast of war’s great organ shakes the skies, 
But beautiful as songs of the immortals, 


The holy melodies of Love arise. 
—Longfellow. 


al 
—Seae 
ee 


WAR IS HELL 


Sherman said that ‘‘ war is hell’’! 
Ah yes, who can better tell 
Of the miseries of war, 
And calamities deplore, 
Than the mothers? At such cost 
She brought forth the man who’s lost. 
She brought forth the little son; 
Dreaming of the little one 
Long before he came to earth, 
Prayed for him before his birth, 
Just as Hannah did of old— 

The same sweet story she retold. 


The little son became a man. 
Then began the loving plan 

For his future, bright with hope 
Of sane success. Then they note 
With alarm, the need of war 
Being talked from shore to shore, 
The nation called for volunteers, 


220 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





For boys and men of certain years. 
Many went—some were drafted 

And across the sea were wafted, 
Never to return. The mothers 

Wept and prayed for sons and brothers, 


Why need war be? Our dear Savior 
When on earth the lesson gave,— 
‘‘To love our neighbor as ourself, 
Not to take his life nor wealth. 
‘‘That we should love one another, 
And we should not hate our brother.’’ 
That He gave His life to save us, 
And by His example, gave us 

Just the way we, as disciples, 

Must act in the merest trifles— 
The enemy to be forgiven 

Before we hope to enter heaven. 


In the beginning, we are told 

That the garden made of old 

Was devoid of weed or sin 

Until the Devil entered in. 

Then he began the fateful strife, 
The tragic ending of a life. 

Cain, the murderer, was set aside 
By the Lord. He must abide 

Away from home with mark on face, 
So he was known in any place 

He went. So God punished the first 
Who started strife and made the curse. 


And ever since the day of Cain, 

The world has groaned and wept again 

Beneath the curse of war. And still 

It cannot listen to the will 

Of God the Father, and the Son 

Who gave His life that it be won. 

It cannot listen to the voice 

That calls for it to take the choice 

Of life or death, and accept life, 

But simply goes on with the strife. 

As, yes! Sherman spoke it well, 

When he said that ‘‘war was hell’’! 
—Mrs. Owen Price. 


CLERICAL OPPRESSORS 221 





WHITTIER’S POEM, ‘‘CLERICAL OPPRESSORS’’ 
(Transposed) 


On page 158 of ‘‘The Poems of Whittier’’ you will find a 
poem on the subject of the caption noted above, and it has 
been transposed to describe the attitude of the reputed Chris- 
tian clergy toward carnal war. The occasion that inspired the 
poem was a pro-slavery meeting in Charleston, S. C., on the 
4th day of the 9th month, 1835, at which the clergy of the city 
attended in a body to give prestige to the proceedings. 


Just God and these are they 
Who minister at thine altar, God of love, 

Men who their hands with prayer and blessing lay, 
On Israel’s ark of light. 


What, preach and murder men; 

Give thanks and rob thy own afflicted poor, 
Talk of Thy glorious liberty and then 

Bolt hard love’s doors! 


What! servants of Thy own 
Merciful Son, who came to seek and save 
The homeless and outcast, battering down 
The duped and conscript slave. 


Pilate and Herod friends, 
Chief priests and rulers as of old combine, 
Just God and holy, is that church which lends 
Strength to the tyrant shrine? 


Their glory and their might 

Shall perish, and their very names shall be 
Vile before all the people, in the light 

Of a world’s sanctity. 


Oh! speed the moment on, 
When wrong shall cease and peace and love 

And truth and right, throughout the world be known 
As in their house above. 


Paid hypocrites who turn 
Judgment aside and rob the Holy Book 

Of those high words of truth which search and burn 
In warning and rebuke. 


222 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Feed fat, yovtyrants feed, 
And in your tasseled pulpits thank the Lord, 
That, from the bleeding soldiers, (slaves) utter need 
Ye pile your own full hoard. 


How long, Oh Lord! how long 
Shall such a priesthood barter truth away 
And in Thy name, for flattery and wrong, 
At Thine own altars pray? 


Is not Thy hand stretched forth 
Visibly in the heavens to save and smite? 
Shall not the living God of all the earth 
And heavens above, do right? 


Woe then to all who grind 
Their brethren, the hopeless conscript down, 
To all who plunder, from the immortal mind, 
Its bright and glorious crown. 


Woe to the priesthoood, woe 
To those whose hire is with the price of blood, 
Perverting, darkening, changing as they go, 
The searching truths of God. 





—S—— 


WAITING FOR THE BUGLE 


We wait for the bugle; the night dews are cold, 

The limbs of the soldiers feel jaded and old, 

The field of our bivouac is windy and bare, 

There is lead in our joints, there is frost in our hair, 
The future is veiled and its fortune unknown, 

As we lie with hushed breath till the bugle is blown. 
At the sound of that bugle each comrade shall spring 
Like an arrow released from the strain of the string; 
The courage, the impulse of youth shall come back 
To banish the chill of the drear bivouac. 

And sorrow and losses and cares fade away 

When the life-giving signal proclaims the new day. 





Though the bivouac of age may put ice in our veins, 
And no fiber of steel on our sinews remain; 

Though the comrades of yesterday’s march are not here, 
And the sunlight seems pale and the branches are sere; 
Though the sound of our cheering dies down to a moan; 
We shall find our last youth when the bugle is blown. 


Special Testimony Of The Church 
Of The Brethren 


In presenting to our readers the history of the trials 
and tribulations of our brethren who were caught in 
the meshes of the satanic net during the World War 
and who suffered the most vindictive persecution, we 
chronicle a feature of our religion that most clearly 
demonstrates our alignment with our loving Lord and 
Master. Without such experiences we do not have a 
vital proof that we measure up to the standard estab- 
lished by our Lord. In 2 Timothy 3:12 you read that 
‘fall who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer per- 
secution.’’ 


Such conditions have prevailed through all the gen- 
erations since the killing of Abel by his wicked brother. 
In the ages of the prophets the persecuting demoniac- 
al spirit of persecution filled the hearts and dominated 
the lives of the rulers of the nations even the reputed 
people of God, Judah and Israel. 


The most solemn pronouncement of our Lord, during 
his ministry was hurled against the rebellious city of 
Jerusalem recorded in Matthew 23 :29; as follows: ‘‘Oh 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killeth the prophets 
and stoneth them who are sent unto thee, how often 
would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen 


‘gathereth her chickens under her wings but ye would 
mom Og.”. 


In the Apostolic age most terrific persecutions pre- 
vailed because they taught the doctrine of love and 
peace and testified against the wickedness of the peo- 
ples. Before Paul’s conversion he was a leader of the 
persecuting class. It is affirmed in accredited history 


223 


224 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


that each and all of the Apostles were killed for their 
loyalty to Christ except the beloved John, 

There were ten distinct periods of persecutions, 
waged by the pagan nations which terminated in the 
third century wherein vast numbers of Christians per- 
ished in the most horrible manner. 

Continuing through the succeeding generations the 
persecution of the followers of our Lord by reputed be- 
lievers in His doctrines followed in the same malignant 
manner, even down to the present day, and it has the 
warrant and justification of the leaders of what are 
called ‘‘Christian churches.’’ Since the founding of 
the Quaker, Mennonite, and Brethren organizations 
their anti-war principles and! policies have brought on 
their people, persecutions of every conceivable form as 
malignant as that which prevailed during the past ages 
and it is considered by our people a priceless treasure, 
an inestimable evidence that we are in immediate alli- 
ance with our loving Savior. Without this testimony 
we would have ominous cause to doubt the quality of 
our religious profession. 

Our brethren met the issue during the world war in 
a manner of the highest commendation, the record of 
which we give in conerete form in the following pages. 
This record is a treasure of the most exalted worth. In 
every experience they demonstrated the spirit of Christ 
without which we are none of His, simply Satan’s chil- 
dren. Read Romans 8:9. ‘‘And if we have not the 
spirit of Christ we are none of His.’’ Did Christ have 
the spirit of carnal war? Answer me that. 

Our brethren who suffered were sadly handicapped 
by a certain indefiniteness as to the attitude they should 
assume in the details of service under the military re- 
gime, such, for instance, as the wearing of the uniform, 
the military salute, and what constituted non-combat- 
ant service. The non-militant organizations had no de- 

tailed schedule concerning such matters, and our people 





REV. JOHN ROOP, Jr., 
Compiler of Testimonies 


7 
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SUBSIDIARIES TO THE CHURCH 2s 


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qn 


ene 


had to work out that problem practically alone and in 
a large measure they met the issue in the spirit of the 
Master under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. 

This department of our book has been under the effi- 
cient administration of our well beloved Brother John 
Roop, Jr., of Linwood, Maryland and our people are 
greatly indebted to him for the thoroughness with 
which he has wrought this splendid achievement. 

Almost insurmountable difficulties met him at every 
angle of his procedure. The officials employed by the 
war administration were not pliable as to the giving 
of official information coneerning the happenings in 
the camps and jails and our brethren who _ suffered 
seemed to be under impulsive fear that a revelation of 
their experience would jeopardize their personal safety. 
They did not know seemingly whether or not war con- 
ditions were passed. 

With great patience and industry Brother Roop has 
compiled and given us a record of events that will cast 
a blessed halo of spiritual glory over our beloved broth- 
erhood that will carry to coming generations the won- 
drously beautiful story of sacrifice in behalf of the fun- 
damental doctrine of ‘‘peace on earth and good will 
toward men,’’ the same blessed message that the angels 
brought to the world at the birth of the Lamb of God. 


oo 
SSS 
—— 


SUBSIDIARIES TO THE CHURCH 


No organization or enterprise of any sort was tested 
in the way the Friends, Brethren, and Mennonite 
schools and colleges were. Moreover these very or- 
ganizations laboring to do exactly what the President 
asked, ‘‘Let no boy or girl be deprived of an education 
on account of the war.’’ From La Verne eastward, 
from Bethany southward all lined up with the church 
in giving an education to boys and girls alike free from 
militarism. This service was not without sacrifice for 


29296 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





the male student body was severely affected by provi- 
sions of the government which-took the nation’s boys 
and formed an immense Students’ Army Training. 
Corps. The pecuniary advantages together with mili- 
tary preference which the government offered boys 
who would so enlist attracted many boys from the 
Brethren Colleges. The Friends were fortunate in hay- 
ing their reconstruction work well organized and Hav- 
erford was envied with its corps of young men train- 
ing for constructive service rather than the masses who 
were learning the arts of destructive warfare. 

There had been provisions made to put young men 
who contemplated entering the ministry in class five 
but the colleges as a whole had great difficulty in get- 
ting such classification. However, Bethany Bible 
School had no trouble in getting the divinity students 
in this class. 

The Sunday Schools and Christian Workers’ Socie- 
ties did much toward strengthening the courage of the 
draftees. After the boys were in camp letters of sym- 
pathy and cheer were to the detention camps what the 
Y. M. C. A. was to the army, great morale builders. 
Gifts of delicacy, (candy, ete.) religion, (song books, 
ete.) and everyday use, (soap, ete.) were received 
from the hearty sympathizers back home at value much 
above par and not as an individual present but as a 
manifestation of loyalty of one orgnization to another. 


—— 


KINDRED CHURCHES 


The ‘‘Old Order’’ or German Baptist Brethren, as a 
body, stood solidly against all service under the mili- 
tary arm of the government. However, on account of 
the small size of the church and the wide distribution 
they were not able to get proper recognition in camp 
nor often in Washington. For this reason ministers of 
that church appealed to The Central Service Committee 





BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 227 





of the Church of the Brethren, for information and aid 
about their boys. Unfortunately they do not believe 
in training up their youths in their church, consequent- 
ly many joined church immediately before going to 
camp or after seeing camp. These frequently were 
thought to be insincere and received punishment. (See 
Leavenworth Chapter). To see these fellows endure 
put stamina into others of like convictions. 

The ‘‘ Progressives’’ or First Brethren Church on ae- 
eount of its wide distribution of members and wider 
governmental policies leave but scant shadows of op- 
position to militarism when such opposition meant sac- 
rifice and persecution. There were, however, some who 
claimed that their faith was ‘‘Just like the Old Men- 
nonites.’’ The inconsistent action on the part of church 
leaders such as the adoption of military training in 
Ashland (Ohio) College made it hard indeed for those 
who claim an anti-war creed to receive recognition. 
That several were imprisoned is not at all surprising. 
The college having dropped military training it is 
hoped that the church will occupy the field their fath- 
ers did. 

If the Brethren or ‘‘Dunkers’’ as a whole will assist 
the Mennonite and Friends or ‘‘Quakers’’ in holding a 
common ground against militarism in time of peace 
there is no reason that the persecution, hatred and an- 
imosity of the people should ever be experienced in 
time of war again. They will know we are willing to 
suffer, sacrifice and save the downtrodden with love 
for mankind as our only motive. 








———~— 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 


That the incidents related here may be as accurate 
as possible the author uses manuscripts written dur- 
ing the war mostly from the camps by men who saw, 
heard and! felt the experiences. Not trusting memory 


228 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


or inspiration for correct reports which may be col- 
ored by thoughts of revenge or may be bleached by 
oblivion, letters to the Service Committee and personal 
diary are the sources of material for this chapter. 


Brother Hicks who since the war, served in Mary- 
land State Legisiature expressed the attitude of most 
Brethren, August 29th, 1917. 


‘‘We have been exempt from bearing arms but must 
go into the camp in some other capacity, which the 
President will design. 

‘“We therefore refuse to go. We believe according 
to the constitution of the United States First Amend- 
ment, the government can not compel us to go. If our 
church principles demand their members to not go to 
war but rather stay home and pray for our enemy, such 
as was told me when I was visited, when I united with 
the church; then a law which compels us to do other- 
wise tries to change our belief, hence ‘prohibits the free 
exercise thereof.’ ’’ 


‘‘What right has a President, a civil official, to die- 
tate to our church what our conscientious belief should 
be on going to war?’’ 


Seeing this condition, Brethren begged for Red Cross, 
Y. M. C. A. reconstruction work and anything which 
would be useful without being directly connected with 
the military establishment. Numerous suggestions were 
made. Theodore Roosevelt would have put conscien- 
tious objectors on mine sweepers, others had more or 
less drastic measures to propose. One brother sug- 
gested to the President that they be sent to open goy- 
ernment lands in the West where they would have been 
compelled to combat the element of the desert to make 
it blossom like the rose,—raise food for themselves and 
the starving people of war devastated areas. A favor- 
able reply was sent from the Department of Agricul- 
ture under presidential orders, and the President 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 229 


seemed to have this service in mind when he approved 
the furlough bill. 


‘‘Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress 
assembled, That, whenever during the continuance of 
the present war in the opinion of the Secretary of War 
the interests of the service or the national security and 
defence render it necessary or desirable, the Secretary 
of War be, and he hereby is, authorized to grant fur- 
loughs to enlisted men of the Army of the United States 
with or without pay and allowances or with partial pay 
and allowances, and, for such periods as he may desig- 
nate, to permit said enlisted men to engage in civil oc- 
cupations and pursuits.’’ 

The fact that there were graduate engineers, agri- 
eulturists, physicians, proficient mechanics, besides nu- 
merous farmers, etc., made this plausible from the con- 
scientious objectors’ point of view. This service would 
not have put the conscientious objector where in the 
eyes of the military organization he belonged,—in ob- 
security. He would have been able to do something, 
build a monument to his religion. He has to always 
be content in the promise ‘‘ All that will live godly in 
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions.’’ I] Timothy 3: 
12. The government realizing that even the Friends’ 
Reconstruction work is praised more by all Christian 
denominations than the destruction made by a dozen 
regiments, imposed the extreme hardship of idleness 
- upon men who recently had been most active. Brother 
Hicks expressed the condition aptly viz: 


‘*October 17, 1917. 
‘‘T wrote to Brother H. C. Early, more for his opin- 
ion and advice than anything else. I received his an- 
swer a day or so ago. He has this to say, ‘Inasmuch 
as the Y. M. C. A. and Red Cross are independent or- 
ganizations of the army, I fear the army will not re- 


230 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





lease her boys for service in either of these organiza- 
tions.’ 

‘‘Wither Brother Early doesn’t understand the situa- 
tion or else our young men have taken a wrong attitude 
toward this situation. We refuse to do work under the 
military arm of the government except constructive 
work such as we would be willing to do in time of 
peace. Our Mennonite Brethren and Quaker-Friends, 
refuse to do any work under the military arm of the 
government. Moreover our ministers at home, several’ 
district meetings, congregations, ete., advised us to 
make the same stand. Secretary Baker, when he was 
in camp this coming Sunday three weeks ago, visited 
the detention barrack where some of our boys were 
then segregated. He told them, then, that everything 
would work out satisfactory. 

‘‘Brother Early says his idea is, to have a few of our 
ministers go along across the sea with our boys. But we 
refuse to go to France unless we know what we are to 
do. We stand united on these principles, ready to go 
to prison, or suffer death to uphold them. We have no 
complaint about our treatment at the present time. We 
get plenty to eat and our friends have supplied us with 
sufficient clothing to keep us warm. We are heavily 
guarded day and night. New guards try to impose 
new hardships on us until they are acquainted then we 
receive better treatment. We take two big walks a 
day, keep the barracks clean, and help to cook for our- 
selves. We are not under the command of any one, but 
are placed under the care of the engineers. Our friends 
ean visit us on Wednesday afternoon, Saturday after- 
noon and Sunday of each week. 

‘‘One thing we would be glad to see and that is to 
have all the boys, who are members of our church now 
in the cantonment, in our barrack. There are a num- 
ber in camp who should be here. This shows us off 
badly in the eyes of the officers. Some of the boys 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 231 


who refused to make the stand are now sorry because 
they must drill with guns. Their lot is that of the sol- 
dier. We hear that the boys in other cantonments are 
not treated with the same kindness we are. They do 
the dirty work of the camp, they cook, sweep, and clean 
up the garbage. This I feel they should not do, first, 
because this has not been defined by the President as 
non-combative work. Secondly because they can be 
transferred whenever their officers see fit. 


‘‘T am enclosing you a clipping from the Philadelphia 
Ledger, which shows the attitude of one of our number 
on the pay question. 


“DRAFTED OBJECTOR RETURNS TO BAKER PAY 
AS A SOLDIER 


War Department ’s Legal Experts Distracted—$25 
Begging an Owner 


ee 


WASHINGTON, Oct. 12. — Conscientious objectors 
have given Adjutant General McCain and_ his. staff 
many thoughtful hours since the drafting of the Na- 
tional Army, but no conscientious objector has so com- 
pletely distracted the legal experts of the War Depart- 
ment as the one who today sent Secretary Baker from 
a training camp a money order for $25 inclosed in the 
following letter: 


I am a conscientious objector to war in all its forms. 
Without proper thought I allowed myself to sign the 
payroll. Twenty-five dollars was issued me and I re- 
ceived it. My conscience, however, will not permit me 
to retain money appropriated for military service. 
Therefore I am returning to you by money order the 
full amount of $25. Most sincerely yours, 


John Doe (David Roop Dotterer). 


939 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


No sooher had Seeretary Baker received the money 
order than he ealled on Adjutant General McCain for a 
legal opinion as to its proper disposition. The Adju- 
tant General was unable to find a legal precedent and, 
therefore, pocketed the money order and took the ease 
under advisement. None of his corps of legal experts 
could suggest a solution. And tonight the moncy order 
is reposing in the Adjutant General’s office, while dili- 
vent search is being made for a fund in which the 
money legally can be placed.’’? Ommission. 

At this time it was growing very difficult for re 
timid one to get transferred to the detention camp. Out 
of curiosity the officers had rounded up twenty-five 
conscientious objectors in the first five days of the 
draft as a tropical explorer gathers apes of a new spe- 
cies. These were Pennsylvanians. Even Secretary 
Baker himself visited this museum. It was an obseure 
room of barracks in B block where every wooden barn 
for humans looked alike that securely housed these 
Mennonites, Dunkers, Quakers, Jews, ete. No soldier 
or officer seemed to know where the Detention Camp 
was. The writer himself wearing a uniform ‘‘under 
protest’’ but none the less efficient ‘‘rookie’’ saluted 
officers of high rank but when their instructions were 
followed he reached a camp where deserters were held. 
However, about thirty Maryland conscientious object- 
ors were rounded up in a voluntary way with a tacit 
understanding that unitedly we would foree action. 
Action in the different barracks varied with the officers 
and religions. Mennonites in their chureh garb had 
little difficulty in keeping out of the uniform. Brother 
Dotterer and the writer started a Bible Class in ‘‘Col- 
lege Corner.’’ (We ealled it so because the various col- 
lege men were put together to be transferred). Fred- 
erick County Brethren came in. Even one Catholie pal 
was more or less interested in our discussions. We 
searched diligently for every reason for the hope that 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 233 


nie emeeee: 


lieth within us. New Testament truths proved perti- 
nent. An officer overheard a little and saw the bunch. 
As a consequence we remained in barracks next day 
and we who had our papers and' objected to war in all 
its forms were called out to see the colonel individu- 
ally. He tried to persuade us to remain in the ranks, 
promising non-combatant service and great promotions 
to college men who did not object to military opera- 
tions too severely. As a result all who were interviewed 
stood firm except one who went back to his company. 

This young brother never joined the conscientious 
objectors but won promotion in the army. And, when 
returned home he struck one of the elders of the church 
in the face, winning more honor from a bloodthirsty 
public; for the elder was ridiculed and the young man 
lauded in the public press. 

When the Maryland conscientious objectors joined 
those from Pennsylvania, the quarters were moved to 
a less central part of camp. Still the newspaper corre- 
spondents and cartoonists sought us out. We were 
washing our mess kits when one decided to give us a 
large picture in the Public Ledger. Almost every paper 
in the country carried headlines about conscientious 
objectors. To the credit of the Ledger, Bulletin 
(Phila.), Post (New York), News (Baltimore), these 
reports gave the publie a good impression of our sin- 
cerity, perseverance, and devotion. 

The cool autumn weather together with the long 
hikes made the sweet potatoes, dry bread and bacon 
appetizing even though it came three times a_ day. 
Occasionally a fresh sweet potato would be pulled up 
from the sod and eaten or possibly a Kiefer pear or 
chestnut would be found on a hike. For those who had 
money the canteen presented a variety in the way of 
ice cream, candy, cake, pop, etc. These were for sol- 
diers and our soldier guards took advantage of us in 
asking reward for fetching delicacies for us. On Wed- 


234 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





nesday, and Saturday afternoons and Sunday many 
stores of good things were replenished by friends who 
could come to camp. These days had a more important 
significance, however, than a supply of home delicacies. 
A refreshing of the spirit came as each visiting day 
came. Sometimes only a few, then again great hordes 
of visitors. Rev. Henry Baer, Mennonite, from begin- 
ning to end, showed’ greatest imterest in the rightful 
disposition of the conscientious objectors: Elders C. F. 
McKee, J. W. Taylor, C. D. Bonsack, Lewis Flohr and . 
others are to be remembered as early sympathetic vis- 
itors. Dr. O. E. Janey and Prof. Wilson of Baltimore 
brought the usual Quaker good will. / 

Time fails me to tell of the pleasures and trials of 
these days. Many events yet unpublished would make > 
inspiring stories. Each man’s life was that of a hero, 
some with much romance, some with little, yet none 
the less exciting. Only such aecounts as bear more or 
less directly on the church as a whole can be here in- 
cluded. 

On September 30, 1917, Secretary Baker with other 
distinguished men visited Camp Meade. Brother Al- 
fred Echroth whose parents brought him from Sweden 
to escape European militarism, ete., gives a good 
account. | 

...‘In regard to Seeretary Baker’s visit, there were 
only about 25 conscientious objectors in the detention 
camp at that time. I was one of them. He only spoke 
to four of us boys. They were Joshua Bailey, Leo B. 
Galner, a Russian Jew, a Mennonite and myself. He 
did not talk to us as a whole but took those to whom 
he did speak to one side. He wanted to get their views. 

‘‘Major General Kuhn introduced me to him by name 
and as a member of the Brethren Church. After a 
hearty handshake he began interrogating me. He 
asked me whether I couldn’t do this or that in the 
army, so long as I would not be directly engaged in 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 235 


killmg. He referred to working in the hospital corps, 
quartermaster corps, engineering corps and canteens. 
I refused right then and there to accept any of these 
branches of service. I explained to him that even en- 
gaging in any of these services I would aid in the pros- 
ecution of the war, and besides we would have to wear 
the uniform which would advertise militarism, the very 
thing we opposed. ... Previous to Secretary Baker’s 
visit, Major General Kuhn was very unkindly disposed 
toward us, but the Secretary’s visit changed this atti- 
tude.’’ 

Though Brother J. Rowland Reicard refused to claim 
exemption as a minister, choosing rather to suffer with 
the drafted Brethren and serve them it was not until 
October 3rd, that a real church of the Brethren was 
organized in Camp Meade. We had sung out of old 
books from Blue Ridge College, but receiving New 
Kingdom Songs No. 2, Conference Edition from the 
Meadow Branch Sunday school kept us in tune with 
the rest of the brotherhood. Devotional exercises were 
regular every time a strange preacher came. ‘‘Every- 
body in the mess. hall’? was summoned to worship. 
“‘Take Time to be Holy’’ as opening hymn for regular 
service was sung meaningly. Mealtime grace and wor- 
ship in Reicard’s corner was optional but so long as the 
detention lasted such worship was generally approved 
by the Brethren. Brother Reicard did excellent work 
as a Sunday School organizer. He blended Mennonites, 
Plymouth Brethren, Friends, River Brethren, Method- 
ists and the Brethren into a live Bible Class. Teacher 
Training and other studies were successfully pursued 
during the week in spite of interruptions by the camp 
orders. | 

Another organizer who would have been a Commis- 
sioned officer had he not been a conscientious objector. 
was Brother Elmer Ruhl]. When our company grew to 
such proportions that its processions through camp was 


236 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


LD JES AA SRL MAMIE Pe Abi oR LD Se ak AA 


obnoxious to the officers and dangerous to the morale 
of the soldiers we were moved to the obseure edge of 
the camp. It required two barracks to house us. Using 
the non-commissioned officers who were our guards to 
good purpose, Brother Ruhl organized a foootball game 
for the vigorous ones. The less vigorous ones were then 
not required to take the fatiguing hikes but walked as 
they pleased. He later will be remembered as an effi- 
cient cook and kitchen organizer for our own mess. 

It was after Thanksgiving day that Major General 
Kuhn left Camp Meade and Brigadier General Nicolson 
assumed command. We had been faring as well as 
could be expected but now we were to be tested daily. 
Every man passed through the fire. A few at a time 
were ordered to haul coal for the camp. They refused. 
‘‘The Conscientious Objectors shall have no coal to 
burn then’’ was the officer’s order. Cut and carry 
wood from the woods. Ax handle was broken. ‘‘ Noth- 
ing shall be issued conscientious objectors from supply 
houses’’ compelled us to whittle a handle with pocket 
knives and broken glass. Heavy armed guard with 
strict orders guarded our barracks. Quarantine pre- 
vented visitors from helping us. When the weather 
was fit we could visit for a short time outside the bar- 
racks. But the mess arrangement created the greatest — 
discomfort and excitement. When first ordered to mess 
with the Headquarters Company a couple of soldiers 
left the mess hall in a rage when they saw two colored 
men in our company. Finally by tacit agreement to 
use the conscientious objectors for kick-dogs the sol- 
diers ate at one side table and the conscientious object- 
ors at the other in the long mess hall. 

Our mess went from bad to worse—when potatoes 
soured, they were fried for conscientious objectors. 
Though we, according to orders, were to have the same 
ration allowance as soldiers, all delicacies and many 
substantial necessities were taken from our allowance 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 237 





and given to the soldiers. Our men did all the dirty 
work, cleaning, scrubbing, preparing mess, serving the 
the table, at which the soldiers ate, with butter, pre- 
serves ete., while our own mess was handed out to us 
as we formed a long line passing the counter. The mess 
sergeant and lieutenant watched to see that nothing 
but the lowest essentials of life got from the kitchen 
to our mess kit. After laboring hard to secure an oak 
or pine log for fuel we had ravenous appetites. The 
reader will not censure us for leaving our wood pile 
even under false pretext when to satisfy our appetite 
a fat rabbit or bucket of persimmons rewarded the 
offenders. Not even the severest guard would report 
such an offense. 

Henry Stabler, a Quaker, brought the matter to a 
head. Some had been put on half rations for speaking 
to the officer against the mess injustice. However, 
Henry Stabler refused to take his turn with the kitchen 
police. I quote from Diary January 15. ... ‘‘Henry 
Stabler, to Captain White, objects to doing K. P. duty 
for the soldiers. We are promised a separate range and 
mess. Lieut. King objects. At dinner Henry Stabler 
is put out of the mess hall. Lieut. King orders a black- 
smith reeruit to beat him up. He misses first stroke 
after Henry lays down mess kit. Henry says that he 
should beat him if he has orders to. He swears, and at 
command of Lieut. King knocks him down. Non-re- 
sisting, Henry arises and is knocked down again. Lieut. 
monresaye,: et... 0... go’’, and we who witnessed 
the cold blooded cowardice ate a distasteful mess.’’ 
For several days Henry is sentenced to bread and 
water but his serene submission to this punishment 
worries Lt. King who every day stands by to see his 
order obeyed. 

Captain White from the Regular Army mentioned 
above, was a Presbyterian raised near a Dunker church 
in Virginia. He, during General Kuhn’s command had 


238 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


direct charge of the conscientious objector’s detach- 
ment and is largely responsible for harmonious con- 
duct. Now he was preparing an overgrown school boy 
to sueceed him. 

That this Lieutenant Woodside and the captain had 
their patience tried often cannot be doubted. The rea- 
son was not the conscientious objectors themselves but 
the power that put us in their charge. Obedience they 
were taught to expect at all times. The conscientious 
objector obeys God and fears not man. 

January 22, was Henry Stabler’s turn in the kitchen. 
Five ‘‘non-com. roughs’’ came into our barracks where 
they had no right to be. They took Henry and dragged 
him to the kitchen. Having rolled Henry’s sleeves up, 
the mess sergeant commanded him to serub out pans 
and boilers. Motionless for a minute, possibly uttering 
a Quaker prayer, he was seized by the ruffians. 
Snatched away from the eleven comrades, he was 
turned inside the cook’s room. Rifle and bayonets are 
always at hand there. Soldiers and a Quaker inside, 
conscientious objectors out. Militarism and pacifism 
were on trial. Rough brutality could be heard by sym- 
pathetic yet non-resisting comrades. The five roughs 
would have been overpowered by the eleven big con- 
scientious objectors like Pat Gallacher, Robert MecClay, 
ete., had these chosen to resort to force. Quicker than 
an army barrack’s door could be broken down relief 
came to Friend Henry. Robert McClay was praying 
aloud. Henry heard the prayer and received the an- 
swer in the same instant.| The cowardly five desisted 
in their barbarous assaults. Seeing that they had done 
extreme bodily injury to one whom they had no right 
to touch, they tried to persuade Henry to deal gently 
with them, for the army is severe in dealing out jus- 
tice. The requests were useless, for finally Henry as- 


sured them that it was part of his religion to bear mal- 


ice to none but vengeance belongs to God. 


— 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 239 


Henry was sent to the Base Hospital where his frac- 
tured ear drum received attention and his body healed. 
The author after interviewing Henry went to the cen- 
tral telephone exchange by using his pass to get by the 
guards as when going to Hostess House. He informed 
Dr. Janey of Baltimore of the occurrence. 

There being a heavy snow on the ground Dr. Janey 
did not arrive in camp for a few lays. When he did 
eome he brought others of influence with him and went 
about a general investigation in behalf of the consc ien- 
tious objectors. As for Stabler, he recovered, the non- 
coms. were court-martialed, also Lieutenant King. The 
author was summoned as a witness. The whole situa- 
tion as explained shortly was carefully recorded. It is 
not certain what became of the Lieutenant, but the 
non-coms. lost their stripes. One recognized the author 
while waiting for a discharge more than a year later 
and asked if he knew Stabler, a conscientious objector. 
‘‘T am still being punished on account of that d...... 
he stated.’’ 

Naturally the commotion in the mess had led to fur- 
ther trouble. Who would work for such ruffians? All 
conscientious objectors in their barracks like bees in 
their hive during a storm were waiting developments. 
Nothing turned up, not even bread and water. The 
mess hall door was locked as the conscientious objectors 
stood shivering in the snow. Fortunately the guard was 
not so rigid now. Many conscientious objectors would 


_ slip out to the canteen and purchase such knickknacks 


as would be most useful in allaying hunger. These pos- 
sibly only aggravated the painful condition. Once dur- 
ing this period of starvation, a socialist and the author 
ventured into the mess hall, expecting to demand bread 
and water. The stern orders of Lieutenant King to 
get out, followed by a harangue of soldiers who now 
had to work, made the door a welcome visage. Finally 
after contemplated hikes to Washington and all other 


240 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


movements more or less plausible, the author using his 
pass to go ‘‘down town’’ went to see Captain White. 
The condition was explained and he himself wrote out 
an order to Lieutenant King for proper treatment of 
conscientious objectors, full rations for everybody who 
works, bread and water for others. 

With the wood, which we cut and sledded in, we 
could keep comfortable under ordinary conditions. But 
the winter was severe. Sawing wood proved effective 
in making us comfortable during the day. February 
2-5 was severely cold. For doing civilian work about 
camp I was rewarded with a pass home. Returning 
midnight, February 4, with the thermometer below zero 
I shivered as J entered the barracks. The window over 
my bunk nailed open, I tore it shut and got under the 
blankets. Still cold, I rose early and found all windows 
nailed open. I shut them, not knowing the order when 
I began, but defying all orders as the scant heat is re- 
tained at daybreak. This was one of the recently pro- 
moted Captain Woodside’s tactics. If King can’t starve 
the conscientiousness out of them he thought he would 
freeze it out. 

It did not work as he expected but congealed us into 
one unit. Even the radical socialism of Rose who went 
on frequent hunger-strikes produced no friction among 
the conscientious objectors. At least, when General 
Kuhn returned he found a strong conscientious objec- 
tors unit even though many were working in the Li- 
brary, Y. M. C. A. bungalow, Hostess House and other 
civilian activities. These outside workers had won so 
much praise and sympathy that the General moved the 
whole body into a ecommodious barrack convenient to 
the railroad and trolley stations. The persistence of 
those in detention demanded that we be kept separate. 
It was February 18, that we moved to the barracks 
where a satisfactory organization was effected through 
General Kuhn’s efforts. He often visited us. Some 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 241 





ealled the conscientious objectors ‘‘General Kuhn’s 
Pets.’’ 

The conscientious objectors who did not work except 
about the detention camp were taken to a Y. M. C. A. 
building where they were givevn a lecture on soldier 
life. In which they were assured that any immoral, un- 
chaste conduct would be pardoned but the failure to 
take the free prophylactic treatment after having a pass 
to the city would mean court martial. This Dr. Officer 
went so far as to encourage this illicit relationship with 
women as stimulative to good soldiery. If for no other 
reason this prevalent immorality, the religious con- 
scientious objectors decided that their churches must 
stand against any compromise that would put a brother 
in a uniform. The streets of Baltimore I found teem- 
ing with vile women one time that many soldiers were 
coming out on pass. The olive drab was the target at 
which flirtatious glances were ‘hurled. The movies of 
the Y. M. C. A., together with sights about camp em- 
bittered every conscientious objector against military 
practices. 

From Diary: The backslider is always conspicuous 
even though there be a thousand faithful. <A soldier 
told me Brother Z swears like a trooper since 
coming back to the ranks. Those who swore were al- 
ways the ones on which the officers picked. One broth- 
er in a casual sentence said, ‘‘I believe the Artillery is 
better than the Infantry or Machine Guns.’’ Finally 
after all manner of harrassing he was sent to Fort 
Leavenworth as insincere. Others took a firm stand at 
the risk of being called leaders hence propagandists, 
and fared well. On a visit to the Officers’ traiming 
school the author was told that it is good that there are 
such churches as Brethren, Quakers and Mennonites 
by a man recently commissioned as an officer. ‘‘The 
world needs your doctrine,’’ he declared. 

Mrs. Wadsworth, wife of the Senator who was chair- 





242 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





man of Committee on Military affairs was a charming 
hostess every Friday. She worked at the Hostess House. 
On March 29, however, she brought a superpatriotess 
along with her. As a type of oftimes prevailing argu- 
ment I quote from my diary. She approached me as I 
was about to eat dinner, 

‘“Why are you not drilling?’’ 

“‘T am a regular here.’’ 

**When did you begin?”’ 

‘‘January 7, about three months ago.”’ 

‘“Why don’t you ever drill?’’ 

‘Because I am a conscientious objector to war in all 
its forms.’’ 

‘“Why did you enlist?’’ 

**‘T did not enlist.’’ 

‘You were drafted?’’ 

““Yes, one it cost me $70 to report to avoid being a 
slacker.’ 

‘*So you reported to avoid what people would say 
about you?’’ 

**No, the government has made provisions for us, but 
I do not know yet what the President intends for us.’’ 

‘‘What if your brother were on the Lusitania, would 
you not fight then?’’ 

‘No, it would have been his hard fate.’’ 

‘‘You are a fatalist?’’ 

‘‘No, but I believe that God uses some things as a 
divine visitation.’’ 

‘*Are you a Quaker?’’ 

‘‘No, I am a member of the Church of the Brethren, 
‘Dunkers.’ ”’ 

‘‘You don’t believe it is right to kill.’’ 

**No, not according to the Bible as I read it.’’ 

“‘Then what about these other men who are fight- 
ing?’’ 

‘‘They are sinning.”’ 

‘But somebody must fight.’’ 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 243 





‘‘Not according to my ideals.’’ 

‘*But this war is justifiable if any ever was.’’ She 
turned with a snub but was thinking. Others snubbed 
and ignored us too. 


Niote—Though our lives had been obscure during the 
winter and we feared would be like the arbutus on the 
rifle range ,— 

‘‘Full many a gem of purest ray, serene, 
Full many a flower of fragrance rare, 

Is born to blush unseen, 

Or waste its sweetness on the desert air.’’ 


As the conscientious objectors paused a minute on 
hikes to pluck the dainty child of the pine woods, great 
men stopped to see the conscientious objectors. The 
following is typical of what visitors or correspondents 
should learn from the author after proving themselves 
sympathetie. 


Prof. W. J. Swigart: : 
By working at the Hostess House I have an opportu- 
nity to do civilian work, know the whole camp and 
live with the other conscientious objectors. We have 
been faring very well for the last month or so, since 
our officers know that we are sincere. Ever since the 
President has defined non-combatant military service 
no change has been made. However, almost daily some, 
tiring of the idleness, are accepting some work. Brother 
Manbeck was the latest military recruit to the Quarter- 

master Department. 

Today we had very important visitors. General 
Kuhn brought Herbert Hoover around to look the situ- 
ation over. We have no official authority for the in- 
ference but we believe the gentleman who visited us is 
going to make the proper disposition of us for Secre- 
tary Baker. The religious objectors were the most in 
teresting to these men of national importance. In talk- 
ing to me concerning our church, I gave them the tract 


244 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


written by D. L. Miller, on ‘‘The Church of the Breth- 
ren.’’ This as well as the explanation that I gave them 
was much appreciated. 

On visiting our mess hall they ate some of our sup- 
per that Brother Ruhl, Dotterer and others prepared. 
The conditions seemed gratifying except that there are 
140 ravenous appetites to satisfy three times a day to 
no profit to the government. They saw us begin our 

eating and then left. We are praying that the impres- 
sions may count for good. To military men I repeated 
the statement I made when asked for the reason for 
the reason for refusal to do non-combatant service. ‘* As 
a member of a non-resistant church, I refuse to become 
a member of any organization whose purpose is to over- 
come evil by means of carnal weapons. Therefore I 
can accept no military service.’’ The statements of 
other Brethren were as good or better. 

John Brubaker, an illustrious Mennonite who had 
been teaching school was persuaded to accept the great 
humanitarian (?) service of the army hospital before 
he had time to view it from all angles. While waiting 
with the conscientious objectors he showed great apti- 
tude as a Bible teacher. His transfer came too soon 
for he was snatched away from the conscientious objec- 
tors as a tender bud in a March gale. In the Base Hos- 
pital he wore only the white uniform, not military, and 
was reported to be taking more interest than any one 
in the work. However he was put in the ward where 
there were bad cases of the most infectious disease, 
pneumonia. Overworked he fell victim and died April 
16. He will ever be considered the conscientious objec- 
tor martyr of Camp Meade. 

Though spring brought many new developments, 
they were far from agreeable as we had a right to ex- 
pect. During the latter part of April the conscientious 
objectors who were working as civilians, were tested. 
They were offered pleasant jobs and prestige if they 





oo. 


eis 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 245 





would don the uniform. The writer had received un- 
derwear, overalls, and breeches during the blizzard but 
no significant parts of uniform. These were turned in 
after the decision to accept no so called non-combatant 
service was reached. As conscientious objectors were 
called in from Y. M. C. A., A. L. A., ete. the guard was 
tightened up. Restrictions were painful when we were 
denied such things as soap, sweets, church literature, 
ete. It was often repeated during this siege of priva- 
tions and testing when our future was darkhess and the 
clue which we often thought leading to light snapped 
like a taut hair,—‘‘Suspense is worse than death.’’ 
Men who had known the conscientious objectors while 
working in welfare activity visited us and extended 
sympathy.—‘‘ You are wearing a crown of thorns with 
a blue ribbon in it,’’? Dr. Barrien said. 

Several conscientious objectors were taken away to 
guard house or stockade for trivial offenses. Some so- 
cialists had had serious charges preferred against them 
and court martialed but we are concerned mostly with 
religious men. However, they tried to pick flaws with 
all. The writér with many others was greatly fatigued 
by long hot hikes. On May 11, Edgar Benedict, Old 
Order Brother, had to be carried about a quarter of a 
mile to barracks. (See Leavenworth Chapter.) On the 
evening of May 23, the writer was barefoot. Some ob- 
jection was raised. In the office the captain threatened 
him with stockades when he said he went barefoot at 
home, 

During this period the District Service Committee 
proved their worth. Notice the clear reasoning in the 
following letter from the pastor. ‘‘Replying to your 
last question, as to whether our Brethren should or 
should not choose service from the President’s list. I 
like the President’s liberal view that they may not 
choose any. The choice of any makes them wear the 
military uniform which is conceded by all to be the in- 


246 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





signia of an accomplice in war. And, the boys now not 
uniformed are in the main thoroughly sincere, and en- 
tirely conscientious, that by so domg they would be 
doing wrong; entirely independent of even the Goshen 
Statement, and the urgent church advice therein set 
forth. 

‘‘Moreover, as you know, men caught with a gang 
who are guilty of crime are both by judge and jury 
accounted partakers to the crime, and are made to suf 
fer penalty with the criminals with whom they have 
been clearly proven to be identified. W. E. Roop.’’ 

Another service never to be forgotten is the love- 
feast on the first of June. Many would have liked to 
had a pass to attend communion at home but this was 
denied. So, arrangements were made for the service 
in camp, Brethren M. C. Swigart and A. L. B. Martin 
officiated in our mess hall at a service like those at 
home except the place and hour, 4 P. M. Note from 
Diary : ‘‘The communion is almost as solemn as that of 
Calvary for we do not know what is to be the next 
event. We do not understand but walk by faith, look- 
ing forward to a certain event,—when Christ comes.’’ 

Colonel Hatch, who was chief commander when the 
79th Division took General Kuhn to France, frequently 
inspected us, showed some sympathy and on noticing 
many Bibles commending much Bible reading. Before 
the Board of Inquiry were sent to camp the officers 
tabulated data as to date of joining church, what de- 
nomination, past offences, ete. From a classification 
made on this basis the conscientious objectors were 
grouped. This facilitated handling the large crowd in 
short time. Men who had been questioned were kept 
away from those who were yet to pass before the board. 

The questions were varied to suit the group. How- 
ever, many apparently irrelevant questions possibly 
lead to stern decisions. Brother Howard Staum was 
asked, ‘‘Why can you conscientiously raise tobacco 


+ — . 
4 7 
Ne 


I 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 247 





that makes men sick?’’ ‘‘I did not think then’’ (See 
Leavenworth Chapter.) Alonzo Payne, a Methodist 
farmer who expected to go to Leavenworth was asked 
if he would accept a farm furlough. He says he can’t 
because it would be under the military establishment.. 
He gets furlough and freedom. Though Major Stot- 
tard and Dean Stone asked a few questions it was 
Judge Mack who really conducted the inquiry so far as 
this improvised court was concerned. However, many 
facts got into government hands which were not gen- 
erally known. One man claimed to be a conscientious 
objector when arriving in camp. Later it was learned 
that he had been running an illicit still, carrying on 
illegal liquor business. The draft was all that saved 
him from jail. Several who were discovered as part- 
ners in immoral conduct before coming to camp were 
listed as insincere conscientious objectors and sent to 
Fort Leavenworth without much inquiry. From Camp 
Meade comparatively few religious men were ordered 
tc Leavenworth. The two members of the Church of 
the Brethren had joined church, after war was declared, 
(see Stamm and Heckman, Leavenworth) but so had 
several more who passed as sincere. With the ‘‘Old 
Order Brethren’’ it was different, however. One of 
their church policies is to baptize only those who are 
well matured in years. Consequently, two of the three 
to go before the board appeared as recent converts. 
(See Fox and Hess, Leavenworth). 
- The final question generally to test the sincerity of 
Christians was of the following nature. Note from 
Diary :—Judge Mack. ‘‘Why could you not go up here 
or somewhere else and help a sick man, as these men 
in the base hospital? That is charitable. Answer: ‘‘The 
motive may be doing a deed of mercy but at the same 
time we realize that it is only preparing a man to be a 
part of the fighting organization.’’ 

Judge: ‘‘So you would not help a man who was in 


248 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





need of help irrespective of what he might do later?”’ 

‘‘The trouble is this, I would assist anyone whom I 
thought I was assisting to permanent health but not 
one whom I knew I was assisting to health only to en- 
dure more suffering or inflict pain and' death on others. 
I might have merey for my motive which all Christians 
commend, but we know the purpose of the army.’’ 

‘“Who would you help?’’ 

‘‘T would help the helpless refugees or men whom I 
knew would do no more fighting, if I were in a civilian 
Red Cross organization or Friends’ Reconstructive 
uint.’”’ 

‘“Would you build houses or farm or assist those in 
need in France if furloughed to such an organization?’’ 
An affirmative answer proved that there was no cow- 
ardice back of the objections to war. 

Before the Board of Inquiry visited Camp, the De- 
tention Camp had been well organized to care for them- 
selves and also their officers. Even though Captain 
Woodside had declared that we would all be sick if we 
had no army cook to oversee our mess, he soon asked 
our cooks to allow him to dine with us. While we starved 
and ate what soldiers would. not, officers had dined in 
their own hall, spending much more on their messes 
than the enlisted man was allowed. In military annals 
it is doubtful if the parallel of the instance ean be 
found. This rough burley officer not only ate with us 
but bowed his head before meals for grace. In a camp 
in Texas, it is said that forty-five Mennonites converted 
their officer. Captain Woodside was not converted but 
the instance proves that evil can be overcome by good 
and non-resistance doctrines are for war time as well 
as peace. 

The first official action taken by the government to 
break up the Detention Camp was on July 10. Al- 
though 216 men had been in the camp there were but 
few more than half that number when the official order 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP MEADE 249 


came. Iifteen men were ordered to Fort Leavenworth 
by the War Department. The half who had left vol- 
untarily could come back to visit the camp. Many of 
them considered it home because of friendly associa- 
tions there. But, now men were to be taken away 
to a prison with a reputation for heartless treatment of 
prisoners. Ties of friendship were broken. Sympathy 
was intense because the stronger knew that the friend 
who was about to enter prison life was not prepared 
for such. If years of experience in chureh work could 
have followed them there would have been a hope for 
missionary work or at least no danger of extreme penal 
measures being imposed. Some who anticipated this 
western trip had been corresponding with Brethren 
near the prison, (See Leavenworth Chapter.) 

The dissolution of the camp was earried out on a 
fuller scale when on July 16, men received their fur- 
loughs to work on farms in Frederick County, Harford 
County, Eecleston, Annapolis, on the Eastern shore of 
Maryland and Washington County. Like doves from 
a cage conscientious objectors went to the eastern shore 
to toil and to Annapolis, where a snare was set. Like a 
covey of partridges to a harvest field, six conscientious 
objectors went to Eccleston. They were hired at $90 
a month but allowed to retain but $30 of it as cash, the 
balance to go to relief work. The crowds that went 
up the state resembled flocks of blackbirds on a 
springtime migration. Kighty-two men were set free on 


this day. 


The difficulties in store had not been dreamed of. 
The sympathetic farmers who had applied for the ser- 
vicé of a conscientious objector now deserves sympa- 
thy. Imagine a son of Abraham who had never seen 
the inside of a farm barn, riding ten miles on a spring 
wagon. He had ridden in the finest of limousines in 
Philadelphia, on fastest express trains, on ocean liners 
and antequated railroads of Europe, but never thus. 


250 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


The farm at the foot of the mountains contained one 
thing that he recognized, a cat. The Mennonite farmer 
was no professor of agriculture so dismissed his ‘*Jew,’’ 
advising him to catch the next bus for Hagerstown. 
Though farm wages were very high it is certain that 
a few farmers did not get their money’s worth from 
their ‘‘conscientious objector hand.’’ Others imposed 
greatly on the man they thought the governmnet sold 
them as a slave. They were paying $30 a month for 
his use as long as he lasted. There is no record of any 
of the Camp Meade men dying, but one or two sent to 
farms died from abuse. Written pages shall not con- 
tain that history. 


————_— 
ee 
tiie citi 


CAMP LEE, VIRGINIA | 


In the state where historical national pride is trans- 
mitted from father to son, as is many colonial heir- 
looms, we find many interesting situations arising. For 
a brother to be accused of being unpatriotic when his 
sires had settled, preserved and supported this land of 
freedom there was no excuse except misunderstanding 
or ignorance. Our policies were often misunderstood 
here but not so much as in places where less Dunker 
blood flowed in veins of soldiers. 

The following is an account written by Brethren who 
knew Camp Lee from the beginning of the draft until 
discharged in 1919. 


Detailed Account of Experiences at Camp Lee, Va., 
1917-1918. Cephas P. Stump and of Horace P. Spang- 
ler: 


‘‘Reporting for Duty 
‘On October 8th, 1917. We reported to our Local 


Board according to Jaw, and had no trouble getting 
Form 174, as some Brethren ahead of us had had. They 


CAMP LEE, VIRGINIA 201 


had to take the matter up with Governor Stuart be- 
fore they would be recognized by the Local Board. 
Elder L. A. Bowman went with us, helped us by the 
Local Board and went with us to Camp. Here we met 
Brother Wilcie Sink and we three were always together 
from then on till Furloughed on Farm. 

‘‘During the mustering examinations, we were in- 
quiring about where to start our claim. 


‘*In the Infantry, 317 


‘‘In the mustering we were directed to Lieutenant 
Colonel Reed who received us courteously, examined 
our exemption papers, asked us a few questions, and 
directed us to the Captain of our Company for further 
information. 

‘““We were assigned to Company D of 317 Infantry. 
The next few days were days of adjustment. As soon 
as we could learn who was who we went to our Captain 
and explained our position in a very few words and 
asked him what he wanted us to do. His reply was, 
‘T’ll see if I ean find something for you to do.’’ The 
day following we again went to him and asked him if 
he expected us to drill. His reply this time was, ‘‘ You 
may if you want to but you don’t have to—You don’t 
have to do anything—Mr. Wilson hasn’t decided 
whether he will send you to war or send you homie. 
Our orders are to treat you as guests. But I know 
you’d rather do a little something temporarily, so you 
may go into the kitchen if you want to.’’ We went into 
the kitchen and worked for a month, or nearly so, dur- 
ing which time we met with no opposition. All the sol- 
diers that knew about our position envied us. They all 
treated us well and we never came in contact with any 
officers except our commanders. The soldiers were 
given uniforms, but no one ever asked! us if we wanted 
a uniform. When time came for the soldiers to take 
the Oath of Allegiance, our Captain courteously told 


202 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


us that we needn’t even go down to headquarters. We 
were very thankful for that. He didn’t even ask us 
if we wanted to take the oath. 


‘While here we took the Physiological Examination. 
We were also taken over to Headquarters where we 
were given a choice of being sent to Base Hospital or 
to Remount Depot. Since *some of our Brethren had 
already been assigned to Remount Depot we preferred 
the latter. Then we were transferred from Company 
D to M. Gun Company, where we, after being asked a 
few questions, were given the same courteous treat- 
ment. While in the Infantry we had never been asked! 
to salute the officers. From here we were transferred 
to the Remount Depot about November Ist.”’ 


The account of A. L. Younker who united with the 
Church of the Brethren, Windber, Pa., May 27, 1917 is 
too lengthy for publication. However, the experiences 
of one who fared differently on arriving at Camp Lee, 
October 4th is in place here. God provided him a Men- 
nonite partner who was well posted. Enroute to camp 
the other men got drunk and unruly. Taking a stand 
for Christ in the mustering office they were tried every 
day, but learned Seripture as they had opportunity. 
‘‘When the officers failed to make soldiers of us, they 
transferred us to another company just to see if we 
would take the same stand at every different company. 
I was moved six times in one week. So after about 
six weeks of moving, they gave us our choice of going 
to the Base Hospital or Remount Depot.’’ 


Refusing the uniform and participation ‘‘in war in 
any shape or form’’ brought them to the guard house.”’ 
‘There were two Mennonites in there already for about 
six weeks. Then they thought they would starve the 
conscientiousness out. They put us on half rations for 
ten days. We had only one blanket a piece in the lat- 
ter part of November. We got so cold we could sleep 


— 


AT REMOUNT DEPOT 253 





only a few hours a night for they would not allow us 
to have any fire.’’ 
Brother Spangler continues his account viz: 


‘At Remount Depot 

‘‘Here we met our first opposition—on refusing the 
uniform we were at first refused any Government sup- 
plies, even beds and bed: clothes, but we finally received 
beds. Here we found about fifty conscientious objec- 
tors mostly Brethren and Mennonites, four of which 
were in the guard house for refusing to accept any ser- 
vice whatever. 

Most of these were working temporarily and we were 
placed on the feeding gang, feeding horses and mules, 
which gang consisted’ mostly of conscientious objectors. 

‘“‘The number in the guard house increased from 4 
to eleven (11) which was overtaxing the capacity of 
the guard house. So they were moved to a Veterinary 
Medical Dispensary with a concrete floor, without beds 
and with only one blanket. The November weather 
was exceptionally cool and damp. After a few days 
the visiting Brethren reported this to General Chronk- 
ite who knew nothing of it and they were immediately 
supplied with sufficient bedding. 

‘‘Here we drew up a paper petitioning our Captain 
for Segregated Barracks (or Detention Camp) as the 
law provided. But to no effect. We held our Sunday 
school each Sunday, first in a nearby mule shed, but 
later in the Mess Hall, and prayer and song services 
every night in our barracks. 

‘“ At this place we were glad for the visit of a num- 
ber of our Brethren, J. A. Dove, Va.; Brother Horst 
and Replogle from Pa., Brother Joseph Bowman, and 
others. We were always glad to see them and anxious 
for a word of advice from them. But we received no 
definite advice from them, as to what steps we should 
take. We feel that our daily prayer meeting was a 


254 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


ereat factor in maintaining our courage. Some tims 
later in November, Brother Aaron Louck from Pa., and 
Brother A. D. Wenger from Va. (Mennonite) came to 
visit us They confidently advised us to steer clear of 
military service. From here they went to Division 
Headquarters and our transfer soon followed. 

One evening the Sergeant called us into the mess 
hall, ordering us to turn our Government supplies into 
the supply room early next morning, and pack our per- 
sonal belongings. Next morning we did so and were 
lined up before the mess hall where roll was called and 
49 conscientious objectors answered ‘Here’—The Ser- 
geant said ‘You’ve all answered ‘Here’ and you’ll be 
d sorry for it.’ Of course we had no idea where 
we were zoing. He started us out, we knew not where. 





‘*155th Depot Brigade 

‘After hiking for about three or four miles we were 
ledged' in 155th Depot Brigade, 8th Company, near 53 — 
iMG A: 

‘‘At the Remount Depot we had come to have very 
little confidence in the officer, for in their many efforts 
to make us come into the military routine, they had no 
regard for truthfulness. That is inferior officers (Cor- 
porals, sergeants, etc.) In our new home we were put 
in separate barracks with no military men except a 
cook, to help our cook get started. We were overjoyed 
and felt sure that our hopes were fully realized but 
soon we found not quite so much so, when a Lieuten- 
ant came around and selected 15 of our number and 
sent them out on Garbage trucks. This continued for 
several days when a special meeting was called to de- 
' eide what should be done. The following was drawn 
up. 

‘**We the undersigned, positively refuse to do any 
thing except, do our cooking, keep our building and 
surrounding grounds clean; keep ourselves clean and 





AT REMOUNT DEPOT 299 


take physical exercise; till the President defines non- 
combatant service, as ihe law provides. 
Signed 


? 





‘‘Forty of the forty-nine signed the paper, and sent 
it over to Headquarters yet that night after the meet- 
ing. Then followed the backing up of our decision 
which resulted in a courteous visit from the Brigade 
Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Coffee. After our firm- 
ly presenting a ‘solid front’ claim, the Colonel said: 
“Well if that’s your faith, our orders are to respect 
your Faith.’ In presenting our claim Brother Sala 
(Mennonite) from Pennsylvania, produced a clipping 
from their religious weekly, where their church com- 
mittee had visited Secretary of War Baker who had! 
said that we need not drill, wear the uniform, salute, or 
do anything in camp if we felt it wrong to do so. 

‘“‘The Lieutenant Colonel also told us that we need 
not wear the uniform but that we could get any cloth- 
ing we wanted that they had. That we would not be 
under military men, need not observe military rules, 
and he gave us the privilege of coming with any com- 
plaint to his office, a privilege soldiers didn’t have. 

‘‘Time and again we appealed to Colonel Coffee and 
he always responded promptly and always gave us a 
square deal. Just for instance—some relatives came 
from Pennsylvania to visit some of the Brethren. They 
had some difficulty locating us, as we had just been 
transferred. It was cold and raining hard. So the 
visitors were visiting in the barracks when the Lieuten- 
ant—a narrow, unreasonable fellow, came in. He called 
out Hicks who was our appointed leader and ordered 
him to have the folks leave at-once, since there were 
some ladies in the bunch, and he said no ladies were 
allowed in the barracks. On Brother Kohne’s sugges- 
tion, Hicks took two of these visitors over to see the 
Colonel. They laid the matter before him in a courte- 
ous way. His reply was, ‘You go back under Colonel 


256 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Coffee’s command and stay as long as you want to.” 


You can’t imagine our appreciation of this manifesta- 
tion of kindness by this big-hearted, broadminded man. 

‘‘On another occasion one Brother applied for a three 
day pass to attend the funeral of his grandfather, and 
was refused. He then went personally to Colonel Cof- 
fee. The Colonel inquired as to how far he had to go, 
and issued him a five day pass instead of a three as 
asked for.—On another occasion we were placed under 
command of a new Captain who thought we must be 
subject to military rules and ordered us out to hike 


under military men. Some refused to go. When re- > 


ported to the Colonel he rebuked the Captain, com- 
mended the Brethren who refused to go and assured 
us that it was a misunderstanding and shouldn’t hap- 
pen again. Ali through the winter of 1917-18 we were 
under Colonel Coffee and fared fine, we came and wenr 
at will (except passes home). We hunted rabbits dur- 


ing the big snows and thoroughly enjoyed the camp 


life with the exception of the measles epidemic which 
attacked more than half of our number, and caused 
the loss of one, Brother Strauderman from West Vir- 
ginia, which we regretted very much. We later had 
the mumps. Our number inereased to more than one 
hundred before spring, making quite a variety of dif- 
ferent religious sects. 

‘‘Onee early in the winter fifteen of our number 
were informed that we were to be transferred, we 
knew not where. Realizing that in union there is 
strength, we called a special prayer meeting where 
about thirty audible prayers were offered to the effect 
that we should not be separated. (And those were days 
of real, earnest praying, on knees too). Next morning 
we turned in our Government supplies, emptied our 
bed ticks, packed our personal effects and started via 
Headquarters to—we knew not where. We hiked for 
about two miles where, to our delight, the organization 


a 


AT REMOUNT DEPOT 207 


refused to accept us and before 4 P. M. we were again 
with the other Brethren. We were indeed thankful 
for such a definite answer to our prayers. 

‘‘Another time Brother Buracker was in the hospital 
for several weeks. When the Sergeant went to bring 
him back, he assured him that we had all been killed 
for our position and that unless he accepted some work 
he would meet the same fate. Even asking if he’d 
rather be killed that evening or the next day. Brother 
B’s reply was that it made no difference to him. 

*“We were in the Brigade till about the first of April. 
Many interesting, embarrassing things happening—we 
moved several times and were under a new command- 
er about every month. Here we took another Phys- 
iological examination. 

‘‘The First of April, So-called Non-combatant Ser- 
vice was presented to us, and fortunately for us Broth- 
er Lewis B. Flohr from Washington brought us Mr. 
Wilson’s Official Statement. Also Secretary Baker’s 
Statement. So we were posted and decided before the 
Camp officials arrived with their proposition. 

‘‘Harly one morning we received notice that The 
Camp Judge Advocate was coming to see us. We all 
assembled in the megs hall. Colonel Coffee, Colonel 
Mallery and Judge Advocate came in very solemnly 
and courteously as all superior officers do—stated their 
business and gave us each a letter written from Divi- 
sion Headquarters giving all the President’s state- 
ment except where farm furloughs are mentioned and 
where the statement said, ‘‘we should not be put un- 
der arrest nor kept in penitentiaries.’’ After carefully 
reading the letter they gave us the privilege of asking 
questions. Will we have to wear the uniform,—drill— 
salute, ete., ete., were asked in rapid succession. They 
assured us that we would have to perform every duty 
of any other soldier except carry arms. Of course we 
could not see the noncombatant element in that. They 


258 _ CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


gave us twenty-four hours to select some branch of non- 


combatant “service and told us in absence of choice 
we’d be assigned to the Medical Department and fail- 
ure to obey orders would land us in the penitentiary. 
Nevertheless we knew that Mr. Wilson’s official state- 
ment was quite different (I am enclosing a Bulletin 
containing Mr. Wilson’s statement). Six of the one 
hundred accepted some branch of non-combatant ser- 
vice. 


ORDER PLACING RELIGIOUS OBJECTORS IN. 
THE NON-COMBATANT ARMY SERVICE PRO- 
MULGATED BY PRESIDENT WILSON: 


TO WORK BEHIND LINES 


Will be assigned duties in the Medical, Ambulance, 
Engineer, and Quartermaster Corps. 


Executive Order 


By virtue of authority contained in section 4 of the 
act approved May 18, 1917, entitled, ‘‘ An act to author- 
ize the President to increase temporarily the military 
establishment of the United States,’’ whereby it is pro- 
vided. 

‘* And nothing in this act contained shall be construed 
to require or compel any person to serve in any of the 
forces herein provided for who is found to be a mem- 
ber of any well-recognized religious sect or organiza- 
tion at present organized and existing and whose ex- 
isting creed or principles forbid its members to parti- 
cipate in war in any form and whose religious convie- 
tions are against war and participation thereim in ac- 
cordance with same creed or principles of same relig- 
ious organizations; but no person so exempted shall be 
exempted from service in any capacity that the Presi- 
dent shall declare to be non-combatant.’’ 


. ne 


ASSIGNMENT OF OBJECTORS 259 





Non-combatant Service 


I hereby declare that the following military service 
is non-combatant service: 

a. Service in the Medical Corps wherever performed. 
This includes service in the sanitary detachments at- 
tached to combatant units at the front; service in the 
divisional sanitary trains composed of ambulance com- 
panies and field hospital companies, on the line of com- 
munications, at the base in France, and. with the troops 


‘and at hospitals in the United States; also the service 


of supply and repair in the Medical Department. 
b. Any service in the Quartermaster Corps, in the 


United States, may be treated as non-combatant. Also, 


in rear of zone of operations, service in the following: 
Stevedore companies, labor companies, remount de- 
pots, bakery companies, the subsistence service, the 
bathing service, the laundry service, the salvage ser- 
vice, the clothing renovation service, the shoe-repair 
service, the transportation repair service, and motor- 
truck companies. 


ce. Any engineer service in the United States may be 
treated as non-combatant service. Also, in rear of 
zone of operations, service as follows: Railroad build- 
ing, operation, and repair; road building and repair; 
construction of rear-line fortifications, auxiliary de- 
fenses, ete.; construction of docks, wharves,  store- 
houses, and of such cantonments as may be built by 
the Corps of Engineers; topographical work; camou- 
flage; map reproduction; supply depot service; repair 
service; hydraulic service; and forestry service. 


Assignment of Objectors 
2. Persons ordered to report for military service 
under the above act who have (a) been certified by 
their local boards to be members of a religious seet or 
organization, as defined in section 4 of said act; or (b) 


_ who object to participating in war because of conscien- 


/ 


260 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


tious scruples, but have failed to receive certificates as 
members of a religious sect or organization from their 
local board, will be assigned to non-combatant military 
service, aS defined in paragraph 1, to the extent that 
such persons are able to accept service as aforesaid 
without violation of the religious or other conscien- 
tious scruples by them in good faith entertanied. Upon 
the promulgation of this order it shall be the duty of 
each division, camp, or post commander, through a 
tactful and’ considerate officer, to present to all such 
persons the provisions hereof, with adequate explana- 
tion of the character of non-combatant service herein 
defined, and upon such exnlanations to secure accept- 
ance of assignment to the several kinds of non-combat- 
ant service herein defined, and upon such explanations 
to secure acceptances of assignment to the several kinds 
of non-combatant service above enumerated ; and when- 
ever any person is assigned to non-combatant service 
- by reason of his religious or other conscientious scruples 
he shall be given a certificate, stating the assignment 
and reason therefor, and such certificates shall there- 
after be respected as preventing the transfer of such 


persons from such non-combatant to combatant service ~ 


by any division, camp, post, or other commander under 
whom said person may thereafter be called to serve, 
but such certificate shall not prevent the assignment of 
such person to some other form of non-combatant ser- 
vice with his own consent. So far as may be found 


feasible by each division, camp, or post commander, — 
future assignments of such persons to non-combatant — 


military service will be restricted to the several de- 
tachments and units of the Medical Department in the 


absence of a request for assignment to some other 
branch of non-combatant service, as defined in para- — 


graph 1 hereof. 


_— 














- 


MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE 261 


Reports by Commanders 

3. On the 1st day of April, and thereafter monthly, 
each division, camp, or post commander shall report to 
the Adjutant General of the Army, for the information 
of the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of War, the 
names of all persons under their respective commands 
who profess religious or other conscientious scruples as 
above described, and who have been unwilling to ac- 
cept, by reason of such seruples, assignment to non- 
combatant military service as above defined, and as to 
each such person so reported a brief, comprehensive 
statement as to the nature of the objection to the ac- 
ceptance of such non-combatant military service enter- 
tained. The Secretary of War will from time to time 
classify the persons so reported and give further direc- 
tions as to the disposition of them. Pending such 
directions from the Secretary of War, all such persons 
not accepting assignment to non-combatant service 
shall be segregated as far as practicable and placed 
under the command of a specially qualified officer of 
tact and judgment, who will be instructed to impose 
no punitive hardship of any kind upon them but not 
to allow their objections to be made the basis of any 
favor or consideration beyond exemption from actual 
military service which is not extended to any other sol- 
dier in the service of the United States. 


Maintenance of Discipline 

4. With a view to maintaining discipline, it is 
pointed out that at the discretion of courts-martial as 
far as practicable they be ordered to deal with obsti- 
nate persons who fail or refuse to comply with lawful 
orders by reason of alleged religious or other conscien- 
tious scruples, should be exercised, if feasible, so as to 
secure uniformity of penalties in the imposition of sen- 
tences under Articles of War 64 and 65, for the willful 
disobedience of a lawful order or command. It will be 


262 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


recognized that sentences imposed by such courts-mar- 
tial, when not otherwise described by law, shall 
preseribe confinement in the United States Disciplin- 
ary Barracks or elsewhere, as the Secretary of War or 
the reviewing authority may direct, but not in a peni- 
tentiary; but this shall not apply to the cases of men 
who desert either before reporting for duty to the mili- 
tary authorities or subsequently thereto. 


5. The Secretary of War will revise the sentences 
and finding of courts-martial heretofore held of persons 
who come within any of the classes herein described, 
and bring to the attention of the President for remedy, 
if any be needed, sentences and judgments found at 
_ variance with the provisions hereof. 

The White House WOODROW WILSON. 

March 20, 1918. 


In the Medical Department 


‘‘Regardless of our refusal to enter military service 
we were assigned to the Medical Department and 
placed under new commanders, who at once set in to 
get us into service. First by convincing us from a 
Biblical point of view that we were wrong. But soon 
admitted that we had the better, or only side of the 
argument. 

‘(One Wednesday afternoon they called us out and — 
tried in vain to get us to dig drain ditches. Later — 
they took all out except the cooks over near the hos- 
pital where Captain Cabb our commander took a spade | 
and commanded each one (in the presence of higher — 
officials) to go to work. Each one courteously refused. 
Whereupon they were taken over to the hospital wards, 
offered a mop and again commanded to go to work. 
Again each one courteously refused. Then the third 
attempt was at the Supply house where each one was 
commanded to take and wear the uniform. Again, the ° 
third time, each one courteously refused to obey the 









IN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT 263 





‘lawful order of a commanding officer,’’ and as they 
(the military men) interpreted the Headquarters let- 
ter, subjected ourselves to courtmartial trial, which 
would inevitably sentence us to a term in the U.S. D. 
B. at Leavenworth. These three last attempts were: 
made one forenoon. When the Captain ordered ts put 
under arrest and guard, the highest officers reminded 
him that he couldn’t place us under guard. So for a 
time we were left to ourselves except for an occasional 
inspection. 

‘‘Up until this time we had had Sunday school and 
preaching (by ministers of the organization) every Sun- 
day, Bible Classes every day and prayer meetings every 
evening, except when being transferred. 

‘Our next home was in the 25th Company’s building 
on 34th street but we were still under the command of 
medical men. We were placed in with a bunch of sol- 
diers and were known as Camp Sanitary Detachment. 
When the men were preparing to. go overseas they were 
quarantined and very closely guarded, and of course 
we with them. 

It was here that we saw and heard of more persecu- 
tion than at any other place. 

‘Some had the uniforms foreed on them. One Men- 
nonite brother from Pennsylvania received. a blow over 
the head that required several stitches. Quite a few 
were in various guard houses and more yet in the stock- 
ade. One brother completely lost his mind, and in such 
a condition was kicked and cuffed around by these 
eruel men. 

‘“‘Our commanding officer, Lieutenant Crosnblet be- 
ing only a second lieutenant could do nothing except 
appeal to the camp commander to have all conscien- 
_ tious objectors put under his absolute control. He suc- 
ceeded in: this. 

“The climax of persecution was reached here one 
morning in May. Some over a dozen (mostly Breth- 


264 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


ren) were taken out and hiked in a rain, for four miles 
out into the country and back, then put through the 
most severe drills, changing shift of corporals every 
now and then, who would knock and kick and curse 
them in a most unbelievable manner. 

‘‘This was kept up throughout the entire hot day. 
Three of the number were uneonscious from exhaustion, 
and brought into the building where our boys did all 
that could be done for them. The others were rushed 
into the bath house and cold water turned on them full. 
force, where they were kept for some time, before al- 
lowing them to come into the barracks. We did all we 
could for their comfort and then got busy firing tele- 
grams to Secretary Baker, President Wilson, and the 
various religious committees. Failing to get telegrams 
through, special delivery letters were sent instead. We 
were under strict quarantine but we got the news out 
through some sisters, and wives of some of the Breth- 
ren. 


‘‘At the same time many others were being sent to 
guard houses, and the stockade and placed on a diet of 
bread and water without any bed whatever. One Old 
Order Brother had his hair clipped close, as an insult 
to his religion and was sent to the stockade. He was 
as near a perfect Christian man as ever was too... . 
Another brother from Pennsylvania said to me with 
tears in his eyes. ‘‘The thing that hurt me so bad, was 
when they would hit me on the back of the head so 
hard I could hardly stay on my feet, and then curse and 
say, ‘now pray to your Christ and see if he will save 
you.’ IJ’ll never forget these words from a fellow 
prisoner. 

‘‘While here it was once officially announced that 
we should be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kan- 
sas. A few accepted service on account of this an- 
nouncement. It was here too that we were called be- 
fore the Board of Inquiry, consisting of Major Stod- 





GOSPEL HILL 269 


dard—Judge Advoeate’s office—Judge Julian Mack of 
the 12th Federal Court and Dean Stone from Columbia 
University Law School. They seemed to be very nice 
men. 

‘‘As a result of the report. of the persecution above 
-mentioned, we were transferred to tents over on the 
hill not far from headquarters but ontside of the main 
camp. Concerning conscientious objectors under the 
command of Liuetenant Cramblet, and Lieutenant 
Spaide an investigation from Washington, was made 
which lasted 30 days and resulted in the courtmartial 
of one of the officers who had direct charge of the per- 
secution. 

In Tents. June to August. Gospel Hill 

‘‘Here our mail was censored. Here we soon became 
widely known throughout camp as ‘Gospel Hill,’ where 
we won a good reputation as is seen from the following 
clipping from ‘The Bayonett,’ a newspaper published 
in camp, and written by military men: ‘While conscien- 
tious objectors to military service were hooted at and 
ridiculed throughout the the United States when the 
country was at war with Germany, Camp Lee takes a 
peculiar pride in a detachment of such men that are 
now encamped here.’ 

During the summer 167 of the men were given farm 
furloughs to work on farms in various parts of this and 
other states, and after they had served three months in 
these places their furloughs were extended for six 
months longer at the instance of the farmers by whom 
they were employed. 

The Camp Lee objectors have been the wonder of the 
War Department. Their patriotic conduct and prompt 
response to military discipline attracted the attention 
of Third Assistant Secretary of War Keppel, and he 
recently came here to visit them and talk with them. 
A number of congressmen also have come over from 
Washington to visit them. 


a 
a 
y ». 4 


266 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





The objectors are now quartered in barracks as a 
protection against the vagaries of winter, but previous 
to November 14 they camped in tents on a hill near 
Thirtieth Street. This settlement was called ‘‘ Gospel 
Hill’’ and services were held there all during the sum- 
mer. Arbors were built and other improvements were 
made with the result that ‘‘Gospel Hill’’ became one of 
the most attractive spots in camp. 

The men now hold religious services in their barracks 
every night, and there is a different leader for each ser- 
‘vice. During the time that they are not required for 
duty in day they read the Bible and pray. They have 
no drills, and aside from their daily hikes, which cover 
from ten to fifteen miles, they do only fatigue. , 

Of all the conscientious objectors who have been re- 
ceived at this camp, only five have been sentenced by 
court martial. Three of these were colored. 

‘‘Our number increased to over 200, of about 18 dif- 


ferent religious sects. From here we were furloughed 


on farms. A happy bunch of boys we were too when 


we knew for a fact that we were going out on farms. . 


While here on ‘Gospel Hill’ we conducted religious ser- 
vices every day and Sunday school on Sunday under a 
large tree at one end of our Tent Village. 

‘‘Here too we were honored by a visit from Wash- 
ington officials. Brother Henry visited us here and 
afterward, seemed more convineed that we were really 
standing firm for Christ and the church against carnal 
warfare. We were greatly encouraged and strength- 
ened especially while living an out door life on Gospel 
Hill. 

‘‘Furloughed on Farms 

‘“When we received our furloughs an officer came 

with us to Petersburg and told us that they, the War 


Department expected us to give the farmer a square 


deal and if we didn’t get one let them know. He also 
told us that we were out from under military control 


: 
4 
{ 
‘ 





FURLOUGHED ON FARMS 267 


except for them to call us back at the expiration of our 
furloughs. The farmer we worked for paid us as he 
would any hired hand. 

‘‘Most of us found good homes and very little oppo- 
sition around where we worked. Our first furlough 
eovered from July Ist to August Ist, was then ex- 
tended from August Ist to September Ist. Then for 
six months longer. About the middle of December I 
returned for discharge but due to an influenza epidemic 
did not get to leave till February 6, 1919. 


“The conscientious objectors were second to be dis- 
charged, received full pay, allotments, and a Conscien- 
tious Objector’s Discharge and were given reduced 
railroad rates to their homes. 

‘We feel that our experiences have been very bene- 
ficial to us—and' hope that we may in some way help 
others by what we have learned.’’ 

The question is asked. Why are you a conscientious 
objector? In short. (1) The Law of God forbids Car- 
nal War. Matthew 5-6-7. Sermon on the Mount. John 
18:36 and others. (2) The Law of the Land didn’t re- 
quire us to take part in the War. cf. Captain Ball’s 
Statement. (Co. D., 317 Inf.)—and Lieutenant Colonel 
Caffee’s of 155th Depot Brigade, Camp Lee, Virginia. 
‘‘Our orders are ‘To respect Your Faith.’ ’’ 

Again the question is asked ‘‘Why did you _ not 
accept non-combatant service?’’ 

(1) Because there is no such thing as Noncombat- 
ant Military Service. 

The army is a great machine for Killing Men. The 
Power Plant (Quartermaster), The Repair Shop (Med- 
ical department) are so-called non-combatant. But 
shut down either the power plant or the repair shop 
and. the combating or killing ceases. 

We pray earnestly that our people will continue to 
stand solid and firm for Peace till all the world calls 


268 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


for ‘‘Peace on Earth’’ instead of ‘‘Piece of Earth,’’ 
which nations have in all times past fought for. 

To Brethren drafted we would say ‘‘be courteous, 
but do not be afraid. Pray continually and do not hes- 
itate to trust God even when death or the penitentiary 
is staring you in the face. Sincerely, 


"HH. C. Spangler, C. P. Stump. 


I find their statements corroborated by dozens of let- 
ters written during the war. However, there are a few 


more facts which should be brought. to light. In the - 


entire brotherhood it is doubtful if one can be pointed 
out who had deeper sympathies or stronger foresight 
than the late Elder P. J. Blough. Though at quite a 
distance from camp, by correspondence and an oc¢a- 
sional visit he exerted a strong influence for good. He 
was keenly interested in resolutions passed by District 
Mecting of Western Pennsylvania. He urged organiza. 
tion September 11, 1917 viz: 


“It will take a lot of Christian courage for one in 
400 alone to take such a Christian stand. Can’t we 
arrange some plan to have somebody available to be at 
the different camps if our people are seattered at var- 
ious places. Some of the men might be gotten from the 
Mennonite Church since we have asked for practically 
the same thing. Just as we (Western District of Penn- 
-gylvania) as a united church have decided what to do 
and what not to do. It ought to be definitely stated 
in the Messenger so that all our people with conscien- 
tious convictions could stand exactly on the same 
thing.’”’ 

Personal or financial matters were of small concern 
to him when the non-resistant principles of the church 
were assailed. Indeed, the anti-war interests were par- 
- amount with him though he was connected with the 
many important church activities, Publishing House 
Temperance, etc. Further mention will be made of 


FAITH RESPECTED 269 


bond 





his son presently. Let the following letter from the 
Gospel Messenger suffice here: 

“It was arranged by wire to have a meeting of the 
brethren, appointed at Goshen, to look after our boys 
at Camp Lee. Brethren D. H. Zigler, J. A. Dove and 
b. B. Garber met with us. It is expected that Brother 
Garber, with his wife, will soon locate in Petersburg, 
thus giving the boys a place to bring their troubles. 
Brother Garber is also to visit the boys as often as prac- 
tical, hold services for them, thus giving our brethren 
constant pastoral care. 

“Tt would take hours to tell the things that we wish 
you might know. A number of our boys are uniformed, 
and working at the remount station, doing the nearest 
non-combatant work available, tending horses and driv- 
ing teams. They are becoming fearful that sooner or 
later they will be forced to drill and, of course, will 
have to decide which,_war or church. We found 
some of our brethren in the guard house for not uni- 
forming and refusing to work. At this writing (March 
14) we are glad to state that all of our brethren, whom 
we found in the guard house, have been favorably lo- 
cated in the Detention Camp, with the other non-com- 
batants. The guard house is the fiery furnace way into 
the Detention Camp, where our brethren are well cared 
for and unmolested. 

‘‘In this Detention Camp at Camp Lee we found 
seventy-six non-resistants or conscientious objectors, as 
they are called, absolutely under their own control. 
They do their own cooking and housekeeping and do 
nothing outside of this, except that they are required 
to take a hike of eight or ten miles daily, which, of 
course, is very beneficial to them. In the number we 
found fifty-five of our brethren (two of them minis- 
ters), eleven Mennonites, two members of the Church 
of God, two of the Apostolic faith (one a minister), one 
Primitive Baptist minister, two Progressive Brethren, 


270 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


one Old Order brother, and several others. Being mess 
time, we made our services rather short. I wish you 
could have heard them sing ‘‘ Jesus, Lover of My Soul,’’ 
and all unite with us in the Lord’s Prayer. 


‘At Camp Belvoir there had been seven brethren in 
the guard house for seventeen days, because of their re- 
fusal to drill. Brother Swigart had visited them two 
weeks before, and was then doing what he could for 
them. To our joy, they were released on Friday eve- 
ning, and when we arrived on Saturday noon, March 


9, they were all working in the kitchen, with the prom- 


ise that they would not need to drill or learn the art of 
war. A second grilling may have to be gone through. 

‘‘Those who stand firm from the start, fare the best. 
Our brethren will simply have to choose between war 
and the church. We have not found any of our drafted 
brethren who will not choose the chureh when the final 
test comes. It is now plainly evident that the only 
safe thing to do is as the church urges, and’ that is, not 
to uniform. After they uniform, which is the symbol 
of war, it is hard to take a stand, and to refuse wnat 
will be required of them. 

‘‘No one knows until he visits the Camps how much 
eredit our brethren there deserve for standing firmly 
for Christ and the church, amid such trying environ- 
ments. These brethren are fighting the battle of non- 
resistance for the future of the chureh. Their lives 
count for good, as did the lives of the Christian martyrs 
of old. Let us make without fail unceasing prayer to 
God for them! 

‘‘Hooversville, Pa., P. J. BLOUGH.’’ 


(From Gospel Messenger, March 31, 1918.) 

Other sympathetic visitors were Elder D. C. Naff of 
the first District of Virginia, Joseph Bowman, South- 
ern District, and B. D. Bowman of Old Order Breth- 
ren. February 4, 1918 these three attempted to visit 


ies ae 





BRETHREN VISITORS 971 


the Brethren of the detention camp at Remount Station. 
They passed a few words, when officers ordered them 
out. Asking the reason, they were shoved down a flight 
of steps, receiving bodily injuries. Taking their griev- 
ances to the Chief of Staff, Colonel Waldon, they re- 
ceived no sympathy but rather threats. This Colonel 
said, ‘‘We have a lot of boys now in the Detention 
Camp just rotting. As soon as the President declares 
what they shall do, we are going to make them smoke. 
If they want to be martyrs as they have expressed 
themselves, they are going to get it and soon too.’’ The 
bluff failed to have any effect and the sympathy of the 
visitors was only deepened and their active efforts re- 
lieved the imprisoned Brethren to some extent. 

After the President had defined non-combatant ser- 
vice and most of the Brethren failed to compromise on 
the non-resistant principle it was Brother Lewis B. 
Flohr, Bureau of Markets, Washington, D. C., who 
stood by them. Quick action with sympathy was nec- 
essary to prevent court martial which might have re- 
sulted in several being sent to Leavenworth (compare 
Camp Dodge and Taylor). The mails and wires were 
used to good purpose. ‘‘At Camp Meade all conscien- 
tious objectors who refused non-combatant service were 
asked to write a statement giving the reason. This 
was the intention of the President. Less than a week 
after the Camp Lee conscientious objectors had dis- 
obeyed three ‘lawful’ orders, April 19, they were again 
on the right status, April 22,’’ Brother Flohr kept his 
eye on the movement of the conscientious objectors 
throughout the war and as the eagle over his nest, and 
used the strength of the government and church com- 
mittee to insure justice. In Lee, the conscientious ob- 
jectors arriving in Camp after the Board of Inquiry 
had been there were kept away from Detention Camp 
as much as possible until it was depleted by furloughs 


for farm work and Leavenworth. J uly 3, Brother Flohr 


272 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


reports, ‘‘Two conscientious objectors are now being 
transferred into the Detention Barracks from various 
parts of the camp. July 1, furloughs were granted, 
later men were sent to Leavenworth. 

During May and June the Brethren arriving in Camp 
Lee met with much difficulty on getting to the Deten- 
tion Camp. The latter part of June the situation grew 
acute. Not having a personal account I give details of 
one case that was extensively committed to Central Ser- 
vice Committee. E. Grant Blough was sent to Camp 
Lee June 25, ‘‘ Willing to do work under the Interior 
Department of the Government, or something absolute- 
ly non-combatant, with assurance of no transfer.’’ His 
father, P. J. Blough, says, ‘‘ As I view the offered non- 
combatant work all seems to say at home or abroad and 
I cannot see how any non-combatant can cross, for that 
certainly means help shed blood.’’ From guard house 
he writes, ‘‘Camp Lee, Virginia, July 9, 1918. Dear 
Prof. Swigart:—I came here about two weeks ago and 
of course could not accept any service, as it is all war 
to me, and I do not, believe in it, 

‘*T refused to sign into the army and was put in the 
Guard House. This is the beginning of the eighth day. 
I refused all service as well as the uniform, shoes or 
anything. It is hard to send mail out of this guard 
house.’’ 

At this same time Brother Charles K. Shaffer who is 
in Detention camp writes, viz: ‘‘Brother Garber does 
not visit conscientious objectors but is seen in camp. 
We are getting some new conscientious objectors trans- 
ferred to our barracks evey few days and I thank God 
for them, and how we rejoice to know there are those 
who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the true 
teachings of Jesus Christ and follow him. There are 
about twenty of the Brethren scattered around in the 
camp to be transferred in with us yet that we know of. 
Some of them are in the guard house and other places. 





BRETHREN ‘VISITORS 273 


We are looking for them any time. Your son Grant, is 
in the guard house. .The guard house is only about 
three hundred feet from our barracks. I see the guards 
bring him (Grant Blough) out for his meals so I think 
he is well. | 

‘‘T believe the Lord has us here for a purpose. I 
know we have learned a lot about the Bible and have 
zeal to go forth and do something for His Kingdom.”’ 

Brother Russel Wood of Roanoke, Virginia, was also 
with Brother Blough, Brother J. M. Henry took up the 
case. However, the censorship of guard house mails 
worked great hardship on the boy and also the father. 
Grant wrote about July 10, ‘‘I cannot be a soldier and 
aniform and be a Christian at the same time; I do not 
know what will happen next, but I fear God more than 
man, I see now I must stay on God’s side.”’ 

July 18 finds Brother Blough with about a dozen 
other conscientious objectors in the Stockade. ‘‘They 
took all our belongings, even we cannot shave. We 
sleep on the floor and live on bread and water and have 
to stand the roughness of scores of the fellows who are 
put in there for disorderly conduct.’’ 

July 28 finds conditions brighter. Anticipating a fur- 
lough for his son, Brother P. J. Blough writes, ‘‘T really 
believe it will be a help to the Government to be ready 
with applications for these brethren and its our duty to 
those conscientious ones who are in distress. I believe 
our church ought to act exactly with the Quakers and 
Mennonites. It touches my heart when our brethren 
get no help but are rather discouraged in their strug- 
gles for a principle that is dear to them and that indeed 
many of them are willing to die for.’’ 

One thing which made it hard for conscientious ob- 
jectors to reach Detention Camps after the President 
defined non-combatant service and the furlough plan 
was under way was,—men could see the end of con- 
scientious objector’s service. Most any Christian would 


274 ; CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


prefer farm work to manslaughter. One writes May 
22: ‘‘I, like many others, felt it was necessary to be a 
Christian but put it off. I feel the need to be united 
to the church. I wish I could have gotten in touch 
with Brother Garber. He was here in Camp Lee but 
did not find me.—I cannot take the life of another man 
after being trained.’’ Co. F, 317 Inf. 

A similar case takes prominent place in Camp Lee 
records. Joseph Beery Wilson, of strong convictions 
refused all service, uniform, ete., though not affiliated 
with the church. He reached the Detention Camp all 
right. The religious atmosphere and his past convic- 
tions led to his baptism. (See Leavenworth Chapter). 

A ease in Camp Meade might be contrasted with 
these. A Philadelphia conscientious objector of Dunk- 
er descent though christened a Presbyterian took his 
stand as a conscientious objector. But though he asso- 
ciated most closely with the Brethren in camp made no 
ado about religion to officers. He used Bible and law - 
alone to prove his claim. He was very fortunate 
throughout the war. It is risky for even a lawyer to 
pursue this course. 

The delay in joining church was the main reason for 
most Brethren being sent to Fort Leavenworth, though - 
many who joined church just before going to camp 
were passed’ as sincere. Percy H. Peters was sent to 
eamp April 5, while every precaution was being taken 
to keep Brethren out of the Detention Camp. He was 
held from April 15 to June 15 in the guard house. En- 
during the persecution as above described he was sent ~ 
to Fort Leavenworth July 16. (See Leavenworth). : 

Homer M. Reed and Martin S. Duncon were also sent 
~ to Leavenworth from Camp Lee. 
A word should also be said regarding Brother B. B. ~ 
Garber and his work as camp pastor. He doubtless did 
much for the Brethren who wanted non-combatant ser- 
vice. A few statements quoted from letters to Brother 





es ee 
ee ee = 


— 


TRIBULATIONS OF REUEL PRITCHETT 275 


W. J. Swigart make clear his attitude. ‘‘May 3, 1918 
conditions at Camp Lee, I see very little change. The 
boys have had quite a number of things offered, but 
have not accepted anything. They have their minds 
made up and are not open to many suggestions. I am 
made to wonder whether continual refusal to accept 
anything does not put us in a bad light before the Gov- 
ernment.’’ ‘|May 22, I think the War Department has 
been very much disappointed that so few have accepted 
service since the President has defined it, and I speak 
out of my heart when I say that they are not alone in 
this disappointment.’’ 

The varied persecutions have in general tended to 
draw the Brethren closer to God. When such Brethren 
as Brother Elias M. Baucher (details of his death are 
lacking) are called Home by the Father as he was in 
Camp Lee, it reminds all that the sojourn on earth is 
short and but preparatory to enjoying a grander life. 
Those who endured the severest persecutions appreciate 
home most. 


—_———— 
_——_— 


TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF ELDER 
REUKL PRITCHETT 


It was August 8, 1918, when I arrived at Camp Jack- 
son, located! at Columbia, South Carolina. 

T had a list of five Brethren, two from the District of 
N. C., and three from the District of Tennessee who had 
got me the information that their non-combatant prin- 


ciples had been violated. 


On arriving in the Camp and going over some rec- 
ords I found that two of the boys were in prison be- 
cause of their conviction against war. And being in a 
guard house inside of the Depot Brigade I had to have 
a pilot to approach the boys or even g0 imside the De- 
pot Brigade. 

So I got permission from several of the highest offi- 


276 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


cers outside of said Brigade to go in and see the parties. 
They said all O. K., hope you may explain matters in a 
way that it will be a benefit to the boys and those in 
charge. So I procured a guide, he being an officer who 
led me far into the alleys and streets of the Depot 
Brigade, then betrayed me by giving me the dodge and 
leaving me on forbidden ground without a friend or a 
pilot or even to know how to get out or to proceed to 
see the boys in prison. And of course I was soon picked 
up by some officers and marched to an enclosure fenced 
by barb wire, some ten or twelve feet high. Everywhere . 
and in all directions were armed guards but a special 
guard was detailed to care for my wants. I was com- 
manded to not speak to any one. I asked to be permit- 
ted' to sit in the shade of a tree, this I was denied. _— 

Nine hours I passed, several hours not knowing what 
was going to develop, but at length I was escorted over 
several blocks under guard to the Military Police Head- 
quarters where I was permitted a trial. | 

When my turn came to appear before the judge the 
judge said to my escort, ‘‘ What is the matter with your 
man? Who said, ‘‘This man was picked up in the De- 
pot Brigade spreading seditious literature, also pro- 
fesses to be a conscientious objector?’’ I said, ‘‘ Judge 
may I speak?’’ and the Judge said, ‘‘Say on—.’’ Then 
I explained my position fully, also I had a copy of the 
President’s message concerning non-combatants, also I 
had our own church circulars issued by the Conference 
and Brother Swigart which I showed him, then the 
Judge said to the escort, ‘‘ What do you want me to do 
with him?”’ 

The escort replied ‘‘It’s yours to say, Judge.’’ 

Then the Judge turned to me and said, ‘‘ You may be 
released.’’ I went to my hotel and wrote all the boys 
in the camp my experience and told them that I was 
only glad to share some of the persecution with them. 

Signed, REUEL B. PRITCHETT. 


a eee eS Oe 





CAMP TAYLOR 277 





BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP TAYLOR, LOUIS- 
VILLE, KENTUCKY 


This camp is of special interest to the brotherhood 
because of the large number of Brethren sent there 
from consistent homes and' because the camp itself par- 
takes of the lawlessness of the Blue Grass State. 

The early part of the draft produced conditions here 
similar to those in other camps. A detention camp was 
established, Brethren stood firm in the faith of non-re- 
sistence and Brother Manly Deeter of Milford, Indiana, 
visited the Brethren dauntlessly. The first difficulty 
to be experienced was on the part of two Heminger 
brothers when they were separated,—Charles F., sent 
to Camp Shelby, Missisippi, and Willard F. left in 
Camp Taylor. An anxious mother works and prays in 
Elkhart, Indiana, for both. Though the work was 
ceaseless from October 12, 1917 it was April 9, 1918, 
before the War Department took action on. the case of 
Charles F. Hemminger, when they commended him as 
a good soldier detailed as Kitchen Police. The other 
brother we shall follow through dungeons to the in- 
famous island of Aleatraz in the Pacific. 

Other Brethren to go to Camp Shelby were Simon E. 
Holsopple, Jesse S. LaRue, Milton Kuhlman, and one 
whose name is missing. These were objectors but other 
Brethren accepted non-combatant service here. The 
Brethren who were sent to such camps as Shelby de- 
serve sympathy. Conscientious objectors were few and 
officers harsh. Brother Hemminger was compelled to 
work under a captain who remarked to Brother White 
who was visiting Brother Hemminger, ‘‘I have no sym- 
pathy for your clique, and if I had you all in France 
a short time I would soon be rid of the nuisance.’’ 

Until April 1, 1918 when the President defined non- 
combatant service the conscientious objectors had the 
usual ups and downs in Taylor as in other camps. Then, 


however, the officers disregarded the Constitution of 


278 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





the United States of America which guarantees relig- 
ious freedom; the Military Exemption Act of 1903; and 
the specific order of Secretary of War Baker to com- 
manding generals: ‘‘ With respect to their attitude of 
objecting to the military service, these men are not to 


be treated as violating military laws, thereby subject- 


ing them to the penalties of the articles of war, but 
their attitude in this respect will be quietly ignored 
and they will be treated with kindly consideration.”’ 

Failing to comply with the President’s direction re- 
garding those who could not accept the non-combatant 
military service (see P. P. ), the officers devised 
all sorts of strategy to ensnare conscientious objectors 
for military service. There were those among the con- 
scientious objectors who also used their brains. Con- 
scientious objectors could not be called ‘‘sullen and de- 
fiant’’ when they volunteered to clean up _ hospital 
grounds. Prior to April 1 they had done commendable 
work but always as conscientious objectors. From this 
date on the officers determined that they should work 
as soldiers. | 

For a while it appeared that the conscientious objec- 
tors were weakening when a few took up the offered 
service. This rate was too slow. The officers thun- 
dered all sorts of disaster at those who refused. Every 
blow only solidified the body of conscientious objectors 
as the massive drop-forge does steel. Brother Everett 
R. Fisher who, acting as mess sergeant, came in contact 
with the officers and he says at this time, ‘‘The duties 
we are called upon to do are very monotonous and try- 
ing. If the work were only of some value!’’ Urging 
that the church attempt a definite reconstruction work 
he says of Camp Taylor, ‘‘Each one’s belongings are 
very much in common. Churches have long _ since 
dropped from our minds and it is the man we love. 
Creeds are forgotten, and differences of opinion are 
charitably borne with.’’ 








CAMP TAYLOR 279 





When threats failed to break the solid ranks of con- 
scientious objectors the officers resorted to lies and un- 
couth trickery. Writing May 12, Brother Heminger 
says, ‘‘There were 62 of us under guard here at our 
barracks and 12 in a regular guard house, but last Fri- 
day they released 27 out of our group and took them 
back and ordered them to do the same kind of work 
that they had refused. However, they refused again. 
They were brought back in barracks again. Then they 
told the 35 of us that the ones they had released prom- 
ised to work, and they wanted us to promise, but we 
did not.’’ 

Brethren arriving in new drafts were being tried to 
the utmost, as the following incident shows. ‘‘One of 
our Brethren arrived at this camp recently. He was 
transferred from his company to the Base Hospital 
against his will. He worked a while and then refused. 
Some soldiers tarred and feathered him. I suppose he 
had some pretty hard trials but he was finally segre- 
gated in the non-combatant Barracks.”’ 

W. F. Heminger. 

Throughout the trials Brother Deeter serves the suf- 
fering ones well. Those who were accused as being 
leaders were put in a very unsanitary guard house with 
other prisoners. Starved and jostled about one brother 
from Indianapolis died in June. The others were di- 
vided up, some under guard, some eat standing, some 
supposed to be kick-dogs for the others. These tactics, 
of course, are destined to failure among brethren. 
_ Brother Deeter does what he can for all. Incidentally 
or purposely the officers arranged that conscientious 
objectors could change their minds on Sunday and 
accept service. Those of strong convictions and keen 
‘intellect stood firm. Having passed through severest 
tests and trials Brother Fisher states June 30, ‘‘I am 
as certain as ever that no true Christian has any place 
in the army.’’ 


280 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


When the farm furlough law became operative the 
Camp Taylor conscientious objectors fared much the 
same as did the conscientious objectors in other camps, 
except possibly a few more, proportionately, were 
placed in homes where the spirit was hostile to ours. 
When reconstruction hospital work was offered, some 
who were on farms decided to accept that service. The 


work of fitting war-disabled men to take @ useful place © 


in life is slow. Consequently those who accepted this 
service were among the very last of the Brethren to 
regain civil freedom. Having accepted the service vol- 
untarily it was difficult even for the son of a widowed 
mother to get his claims for discharge considered. 
The severest persecution in any camp seareely com- 


pares to that inflicted upon the guard house conscien- 


tious objector inmates from April 5 to August 15. Hor- 
rible treatment by soldiers and fellow prisoners who 
were not soldiers can only be imagined. The shock 


has been so severe that the author can obtain but little - 


information from those who lived through it. Mail was 
severely censored. The letters that have been cut into 
ribbons by the censor’s knife speak volumes. The 
father who visited camp to see his son but was denied 
that privilege because his son had been put inside the 
guard house a week or more before was made sorrow- 
ful. Like Mary he knew his son had done nothing 
worthy of bonds. 

That the slackers in Camp Taylor were not conscien- 
tious objectors but the wearers of the gold lace is clear- 
ly proven by the court martial proceedings. For each 
of the thirty conscientious objectors who were court- 
martialed it required about a score of able bodied sol- 
diers, (officers, non-commisisoned officers, orderlies, 
stenographie reporters, ete.) to be kept off the battle 
field. With newspapers, cigarettes, good pay, food and 
shelter in U. S. A. can the conduct of these courts be 
classed other than wasteful? The author was sum- 





CAMP TAYLOR 281 


moned to a couple of these courts in Meade where legit- 
imate cases were being tried. The lack of interest, cig- 
arette smoking and other demoralizing influences on the 
soldiers were more evident than justice. The follow- 
ing proceedings of one of the cases in Camp Taylor is 
typical of the way the gold lace soldiers spend time 
while the Allies called for fighting aid most keenly. 


Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky, 
May 17th, 1918. 

The court met, pursuant to the’ foregoing order, at 

1:30 o’clock p. m. 
PRESENT: 

Lieutenant Colonel Edward B. Mitchell, Inf., N. A., 
336th Infantry. 

Major Rutherford B. Macrorie, Inf., R. C., 333rd Inf. 

Major William R. Kennedy, Inf., R. C., 335th In- 
fantry. 

Major Robert,S. Harsh, Inf., R. C., 334th Infantry. 

Captain John F.. Hull, In., R. C., 335th Infantry. 

Captain Robert H. Klaehn, Inf., R. C., 333rd Infantry. 

Captain Morgan B. Brodie, Inf., R. C., 6th Bn., 159th 
Depot B. : 

Captain Vernon R. McMillan, Inf.,R. C., 4th Bn., 
159th Depot B. | 

Captain Neville 8. Bullitt, Inf., N. A., 336th Infantry. 

Captain Raymond B. Nicholson, Inf., R. C., 334th 
Infantry. 

Captain John Justice, Inf., R. C., 336th Infantry. 

Captain William E. Reiley, Inf., R. C., 385th Infan- 
try, Judge Advocate.: 

2nd Lieutenant Eugene D. Preston, Inf., R. C., 333rd 
Infantry, Ass’t. Judge Advocate. 

ABSENT: 

Captain Franklin L. Snider, Inf., R. C., 8th Bn., 159th 

Depot B., pursuant to verbal orders of the Command- 


ing General of May 16th, 1918. 





282 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Captain Joseph H. Barnett, Jr., Inf., R. C., 8th Bn., 
159th Depot B., pursuant to verbal orders of the Com- 
manding General of May 16th, 1918. 

The court proceeded to the trial of PRIVATE LOYD 
C. BLICKENSTAFF, 14th Co., 4th e Bn., 159th De- 
pot Brigade. 


THE PROSECUTION: Are you represented by coun- 
sel, or do you desire counsel? 
THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 


THE PROSECUTION: You were given a copy of the 
charges a few days ago? 

THE ACCUSED: Yes, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: You have that copy? 

THE ACCUSED: I haven’t got it with me. 

THE PROSECUTION: You did receive the copy? 

THE ACCUSED: Yes, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: Have you any witnesses 
which you desire to have subpoenaed? 

THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: You understand that you can 
eall witnesses, or if you so desire you can take the stand 
in your own behalf, subject to cross-examination by 
the judge advocate and by the members of the court, 
or you may make a statement not under oath, in ex- 
planation, extenuation, or denial, or you may refuse to 
make any statement whatsoever, and your silence will 
not be considered against you. Do you understand? 

THE ACCUSED: Yes, sir. 

Alonzo Walker was sworn as reporter. 

The accused was asked if he desired a carbon copy 
of the proceedings, which question he answered in the 
affirmative. 

The order appointing the court was read to the ac- 
cused, and he was asked if he objected to being tried © 
by any member present named therein; to which he re- 
plied in the negative. 


" 
ff 
‘? Pore 


CAMP TAYLOR 283 





The members of the court, the judge advocate and the 
assistant judge advocate were then sworn. 
The accused was then arraigned upon the following 
Charges and Specifications: 
CHARGE I: Violation of the 64th Article of War. 
Specification: In that Pvt. Lloyd C. Blickenstaff, 14th 
Co., 4th Tr. Bn., 159th Depot Brigade, having re- 
ceived a lawful command from 2nd _ Lieutenant 
Robert L. Maddox, Inf. N. A., 15th Co., 4th. Tr. 
Bn., 159th Depot Brigade his superior officer, to 
cut sod to be used about and in connection with 
the Base Hospital, Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., did 
at Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., on or about the 5th 
day of April, 1918, wilfully disobey the same. 
CHARGE II: Violation of the 65th Article of War. 
Specification: In that Pvt. Lloyd C. Blickenstaff, 14th 
Co., 4th Tr. Bn., 159th Depot Brigade, having re- 
ceived a lawful order from Sgt. Tony Stanezak, 
15th Co., 4th Tr. Bn., Depot Brigade, who was then 
in the execution of his office, to cut sod to be used 
about and in connection with the Base Hospital, 
Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., did at Camp Zachary 
Taylor, Ky., on or about the 5th day of April, 
1918, wilfully disobey the same. 
William P. Haydon, Capt. Inf., R. C. 
To which the accused pleaded: 
To the Specifications, Charge 1: Not Guilty. 
To Charge 1: Not Guilty 


| To the Specification, Charge II: Not Guilty. 


To Charge IT: Not Guilty. 

The paragraphs of the Manual for Courts-Martial 
that set out the gist of the several offenses, namely, Sec- 
tion 2 of Paragraph 415, and Section 2 of Paragraph 
416, were read’ to the court by the judge advocate. 


SECOND LIEUTENANT ROBERT L. MADDOX, 


- Infantry, N. A., 15th Co., 4th Bn., 159th Depot Brigade, 


es Av 
ma \ 
’ mm 


+ : 


284 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


a witness for the prosecution, was sworn and testified 
as follows: ~ 


DIRECT EXAMINATION 
Questions by the Prosecution : 
Q.—State your name, rank, organization and loca» 
tion. | N 
A.—Robert L. Maddox, Second Lieutenant, Infantry, 
N. A., 15th Company, 4th Battalion, 159th Depot Brig- 
ade, Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky. 


Q.—Are you acquainted with the accused; if so, state 


who he is? . 
A.—I am acquainted with him; his name is Loyd 
Blickenstaff. 


Q.—Where, and about when, did you first become 


acquainted with him? 

A.—Along about the 5th day of March, 1918, at the 
time that I took charge of the conscientious objectors’ 
detachment; at that time he was segregated in the bar- 
racks of the conscientious objectors’ detachment. 


Q.—Did you have occasion during the time that he — 


was a member of that detachment, and you were on 
duty with it, to read to him the Articles of War, or the 
President’s executive order of March 20th, 1918? 
AT did.’ 
Q.—State the circumstances? 


A.—On or about the 28th day of March about 7:00 
o’cloeck, the year 1918, I assembled all of the members 
of the conscientious objectors’ detachment, including 
the accused, and I read to them the executive order of 
the President, dated March 20th, 1918. I read the order 
over to them as a whole, and then I started at the be- 
ginning and read it over in detail, explaining in detail 
to them, and I asked that all that felt that they could 
do so, to accept the non-combatant service as defined 
by the President; if they could not accept it, to write 
out their reasons why they could not. 





— so a ee 


a eee 


—? 


a 
} 
q 
; 





CAMP TAYLOR 285 





Q.— Did the accused write the reasons why he could 
not accept service? 


A.—He did. 
Q.—Have you those reasons with you? 
A.—TI have. 


@.—I hand you a paper marked ‘‘Exhibit A,’’ and 
ask you to state what that instrument is? 

A.—tThis is a statement handed me by the accused 
Loyd C. Blickenstaff in response to my request that he 
hand in a statement showing his reasons for not accept- 
ing non-combatant service as defined by President Wil- 
son in executive order of March 20th, 1918. 

THE PROSECUTION: I offer in evidence the paper 
dated March 31st, 1918, and signed by Lloyd C. Blick- 
enstaff. Have you any objection? 

THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

The paper was then received in evidence and is ap- 
pended marked ‘‘ Exhibit A.’’ 

THE PROSECUTION : May it please the court, I will 
read the statement. ‘‘Camp Taylor, Ky., March 31, 
1918. The spirit of Christ is love, love toward all, even © 
our enemies. ‘Overcome evil with good.’ The spirit 
of war, of the army is just the opposite. Men are 
taught to hate their enemies, starve and kill them. The 
non-combatant services as outlined by the President 
are absolutey essential to an army and therefore as 
much a part of the army as any combatant corps, and 
participating in such would be inconsistent with a 
Christin life. I choose to follow Christ and ‘Obey God 


rather than men.’ I am willing to do reconstruction or 


war relief work, under the supervision of the Church 
or civilian branch of the Red Cross. I am also willing 
to do anything for the government which will tend to- 
wards giving life, rather than destroying life provid- 
ing such work is to be done outside of the army. Lloyd 
C. Blickenstaff.’’ 

Q.—Did you have occasion on the 5th of April, 1918, 


286 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


to give or to transmit an order or command to the ac- 
cused? . 

A.—I did. 

Q.—Will you state the circumstances, and what the 
result of that order being given, was? 

A.—Well, on the evening of March 4th, a telephone 
order came in—request from the Base Hospital, that 
we send a detail of ten men to cut some sod to be used 
for purposes at the Base Hosptial—beautifying the 
grounds; and on the morning of the 5th of April, 1918, 
about 7:30, or between 7:30 and 8:00, I, with Sergeant 
Stanezak, took a detail of ten men over to the field near- 
by the barracks, with shovels and an axe, I believe, and 
I showed them a place where they were to dig the sod, 
and told them to dig sod. Some of them went to work, 
and some of them did not; Blickenstaff was one of 
those that. refused to do the work. I saw that he did 
not respond, and I told Sergeant Stanezak to give him 
orders to cut sod. He refused, and then I gave him the 
orders to cut the sod, and he refused. He said, in sub- 
stance, that he could cut the sod if it was to be used 
around his own barracks, but if it was to be used at 
the Base Hospital he could not cut it. I told him that 
we needed a little sod to be used around the barracks 
there, and if it would ease his conscience, that he need 
not know absolutely where that sod was to go, but we 
had to have some to go to the Base Hospital. He seemed! 
to think it was to go to the Base Hospital, and on those 
conclusions he stated he could not cut it. He said he 
or another one of them heard the order come in that 
the sod was to go to the Base Hospital, and he just re- 
fused to cut it. 

Q.—And will you state whether or not he did cut any 
sod? 

A.—He did! not. 

Q.—Were there any other commissioned or non-com- 
missioned officers present on this occasion? 








CAMP TAYLOR ‘ 287 


ere 


A.—No non-commissioned officer except Sergeant 
Stanezak; I was the only commissioned officer there. 


Q.—Was that the whole of the conversation between 
you and the accused, as far as you recall it, at that time 
and place? 

A.—Well, as I remember, at first I gave him the 
-order in as kind a way as I knew how; and then 1 
threatened him, and told him of the serious conse- 
quences of his act, if he did refuse to cut the sod, and 
I told him that I thought anybody ought to be willing 
to cut a little sod to be used for the hospital grounds; 
but I said if he did not—if he felt that it would weigh 
on his conscience, that it was to be used at the hospi- 
tal grounds, that he need not absolutely know that it 
was to go there. I told him that. 

@.—State whether or not he knew whether he was 
receiving an order, and receiving an order from a com- 
missioned officer at that time? 

A.—He did. 

THE PROSECUTION: Do you desire to cross-exam- 
ine the witness? 

_ THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: Do you wish me to cross-ex- 
amine him for you on any topic? 

THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: Or to bring out any further 
information from him in this connection? 

THE ACCUSED: I think not. 


EXAMINATION BY THE COURT 
Q.—You stated that you received an order for a de- 
tail on March 4th; you meant April 4th, didn’t you? 
A—TI meant April 4th, 1918, instead of March 4th, 
1918. | 
THE COURT: Any questions by the accused on the 
examination by the court? 


THE PROSECUTION: Any questions you wish to 


288 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





ask in cross-examination of the questions and answers 
- brought out by the court? 
THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 


SERGEANT TONY STANCZAK, 15th Company, 4th 
Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade, a: witness for the pros- 
ecution, was sworn and testified as follows: 


DIRECT EXAMINATION 
Questions by the Prosecution: 


tion? 
A.—Sergeant Stanezak, 15th Company, 4th Battal- 
ion, 159th Depot Brigade, Camp Zachary Taylor, Ken- 


tucky. | 
Q.— What is your full name? 
A.—Stanezak. 


Q.—What is your first name? 
A.—Tony Stanezak. 


Q.—Do you know the accused; if so, state who he is? 


A.—Blickenstaff, they call him. 

Q.—You don’t recall his first name? 

A.—Lloyd Blickenstaff. 

Q.—When and where, approximately, did you be- 
come acquainted with the accused? 

A.—When the conscientious objectors come here. 

Q.—And about when? 

A.—About April 2nd. 

Q.—In what capacity were you on duty with that 
detachment? 

A—I was acting First Sergeant at that time. 

Q.—And who was in command of the detachment? 

A.—Lieutenant Maddox and Captain Haydon. ~ 

Q.—On the 5th of April, 1918, did you have occasion 
to transmit or to give an order or command to the ae- 
cused ? 

A.—Yes, sir. 

Q.— Will you detail to the court in full, that trans- 


Q.—State your name, rank, organization and loca- 








CAMP TAYLOR 289 





action; how it came up, and what was the result of it? 

A.—In the morning I took a detail from the quarters 
to eut sod. I took all tools what I needed, shovels and. 
axe, and I ordered those men to cut sod, and some of 
them, they worked, and some refused; and so I lined 
them up in single file and took a shovel in my hand 
and gave it to the individual man; so J come up to 
Blickenstaff and I handed the shovel to him, and he 
took the shovel but would not cut the sod. 

Q.—Did you talk with him; do you remember what 
you said to him, and what he said to you? 

A.—I don’t remember of him saying anything to me. 
He said only that he can’t conscientiously do that 
work. He said he didn’t know exactly where that sod 
is going, to the Base Hospital, or around the barracks; 
he said if around the barracks, he said he could cut 
the sod, but if to the Base Hospital, he would not. 

@—And did he cut the sod? 

A.—No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION : Do you desire to cross-exam- 
ine the witness? | 

THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: Or wish me to ask any ques- 
tions for you of him? 

THE ACCUSED: No, sir. 

THE PROSECUTION: The prosecution rests. 

THE COURT: It now becomes my duty to imform 
you of your rights and privileges in this case. You can 
make a statement to the court not under oath; if you 
do this, you cannot be subject to cross-examination 
from either the judge advocate or the court. You can 
make a statement under oath; if you make this state- 
ment, you can be subjected to cross-examination by 
both the judge advocate and the court; your credibil- 
ity can be attacked the same as any other witness. You 
have all the rights and privileges of other witnesses, 
but you are not immune from responsibilities of them. 


290 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


You can have witnesses sworn in your own behalf, as 
many of them as you desire. Now, knowing your 
rights, you may elect what course to take. 

THE ACCUSED: I would Daerah to. just make a 
statement myself. 

THE COURT: Not under oath? 

THE ACCUSED: Not under oath; and if, after I 
have made this statement, the court desires to ask me 
some questions— 

THE COURT: Well, we could not ask you any ques- 
tions unless you take an oath. 


THE ACCUSED: I could not take an oath, as I do” 


not think that is in compliance with the law of God. 

THE COURT: We could not ask you any questions if 
you do not make your statement under oath. 

THE ACCUSED: Then I will make a statement. 

THE ACCUSED then made the following statement: 
Questions by the Prosecution: 

Q.—State your name, your rank, your organization 
and your locatoin? 

A.—Lloyd C. Blickenstaff, member of the organiza- 
tion of conscientious objectors, that is, been assigned 
to that. You mean the company, is that what you 
mean? | 

Q.—Where you are placed—yes. 

A.—I was assigned with the 14th Company, 4th Bat- 
talion, I think—I am not sure, and from there to the 
conscientious objectors. I have been with the conscien- 
tious objectors for nearly—let’s see, I was transferred 
to the conscientious objectors two weeks after I had 
been in camp; I have been there ever since. 

Q.—Finishing the answer to that question, what lo- 
cation ? 

A.—Camp Taylor. 

Q.—Now, state what you have to say in your own 
defense. 

A.—I have been accused of disobeying a lawful com- 





CAMP TAYLOR 291 





mand of the First Lieutenant and the Sergeant, and I 
do not know whether the command was lawful, or 
whether it was not lawful, that is the reason that I 
plead not guilty. But I can say this, that if I had 
known that the order was a lawful order I wold have 
disobeyed it, because to me it seemed to be an order to 
do what I consider to be military service, and because 
of my convictions and the teachings of the Bible, and 
because of my affiliation with the Church of the Breth- 
ren, I cannot conscientiously do military service, in any 
form whatever. Now, it may seem foolish to you men 
for me to stand here before you and say that I refused 
to cut sod because I am conscientiously opposed to war; 
but the reason I refused is not because I thought cut- 
ting a few shovels of sod would-help the war, but by so 
doing, that is, taking part in what I thought to be non- 
combatant service, I would give my moral assent to the 
thing which I think is wrong, and give it my moral sup- 
port, and as a conscientious objector, as you call me, 
believing as I do, that war is wrong in any of its forms, 
I believe that it would be wrong for me to do that or 
say that which would give the appearance to others 
that I am in favor of war. That is the reason I re- 
fused. 

Now, I can give one example—there are many exam- 
ples in the Bible of the followers of Christ who did not 
do that which gave their assent to wrong, and I have 
one of which I want to make mention. In Acts, the 
Seventh Chapter of Acts, we read about the stoning of 
Stephen. He was stoned because he refused to quit 
preaching because the authorities had told him to quit 
preaching, and he refused to quit. Then he was stoned, 
and I will read a few verses. This was after he had 
made his defense. ‘‘ When they heard these things, they 
were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with 
their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked 
up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, 


é 


292 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And 
said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of 
man standing on the right hand of God. Then they 
cried ot with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and 
ran upon him with one accord. And east him out of 
the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down 
their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was 
Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and 
saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled 
down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this 


sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell 


? 


asleep.’’ The thing I want you to notice is that while 
they were stoning Stephen they laid their clothing 
down at the feet of Paul, but Paul did not help stone 
him, he just took care of their clothing. This was at 


the time that Paul was persecuting the Christians, and 


he hadn’t yet become a Christian. Then, if you follow 
Paul’s life in his ministry, through the Acts, through 


his ministry, after he was converted he changed, of 


course, and’ he was brought before the rulers of the 
land for the same cause that Stephen had been brought 
before them, and after he had made his defense he said 
to them, that is, he condemned himself for simply hay- 
ing consented to Stephen’s death, and I want to read 
those few verses. This is a part of Paul’s defense. This 
is from the Twenty-seeond Chapter of Acts, beginning 
with the Seventeenth verse, ‘‘ And it came to pass, that, 
when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I 
prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him 
saying unto me’’—that is, hearing the Lord saying unto 
him—‘‘Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jeru- 
salem: for they will not receive thy testimony concern- 
ing me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned 
and beat in every synagogue them that believed on 
thee: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was 
shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his 
death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And 





CAMP TAYLOR 293 


he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far thence 
unto the Gentiles.’’ 

Paul, the devoted follower of Christ, condemned him- 
self because he consented to what he thought was 
wrong, before he became a Christian; but after he be- 
came a Christian, of course, he did not do those things. 

Now, there is one other reason why I cannot be- 
come part of the military organizations, and’ still serve 
God as I think I ought. To me there is just one being 
to whom my will should be in absolute submission, and! 
that is God; and when a man becomes a part of the 
military organization, his will must become submissive 
to the will of his authorities, that is, the ones that have 
authority over him, and to me that is inconsistent with 
my Christian duty. 

I don’t know whether you men know that I have 
been accepting pay, and when I first come here I ac- 
cepted part of the uniform; I don’t know whether 
you know that, or not, but I am going to tell you, and 
I did that because at the time when I came here, I came 
determined to do anything for the government that I 
thought I eould do, conscientiously; and previous to 
the time that I came to the camp I had known noth- 
ing about the military system, and I thought probably 
that there might be something I could do, hospital ser- 
vice, and I thought as long as I was willing to do some- 
thing for the government it would be all right for me 


to receive pay, awaiting the time that they should as- 


sign me to such duty as I could do, and the longer that 


I stayed in camp and the better I became acquainted 


with the military system, and the remarks of the mili- 
tary authorities that I talked to about the subject, the 
more they explained it to me the more I became con- 
vineed that the so-called non-combatant service, as hos- 
pital service, or quartermaster, or those, are just as 
much a part of the military organization as the com- 
batant corps, and for that reason I would not do it; but 


294 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


ere aera 


T am still willing to serve the government, but not un- 
der the military arm of the government, because I 
think that would be opposed to my religious princi- 
ples. 
The defense had no testimony to offer, and no fur- 
ther statement to make. 
The judge advocate submitted the case without re- 
mark. 
The court was closed’, and finds the accused: 
Of the Specification, Charge 1: 
Of Charge 1: 
Of the Specification, Charge II: 
Of Charge II: | 
The court was opened, and the judge advocate 


stated, in the presence of the accused, that he had no 


evidence of previous convictions to submit. 

The court was closed, and sentences the accused, 
PRIVATE LLOYD C. BLICKENSTAFF, 14th Com- 
pany, 4th Training Battallion, 159th Depot Brigade, to 


The court, at 2:35 o’clock P. M., was opened, and 

proceeded to other business. 
Lieut. Col., Inf., N. A., 336th Infantry, 
President. 
Captain, Infantry, R. C., 335th Infantry, 
Judge Advocate. 

Other victims of this court included the following 
Brethren: Charles W. Bolley, a Progressive, who died 
at Fort Leavenworth; Everett R. Fisher, mentioned 
above; William Goppert, Willard Hemminger, mention- 
ed above, J. E. Myers, and George Studebaker. Accord- 
ing to data compiled by Charles W. Hess, there were 
seventy-six other Brethren in Camp Taylor divided, 
viz: Three Old Orders receive farm furloughs ; Two Pro- 
gressives ditto; Five Progressives accept Q. M. C. ser- 


CAMP GREENLEAF Pina d..8)55 





vice, one discharged; thirty-four of the Church of the 
Brethren accepted Q. M. C., 15 Medical service; while 
sixteen adjudged sincere were furloughed on farms. 
The entire thirty conscientious objectors who went 
from Camp Taylor to Fort Leavenworth were religious 
objectors to war and seem to have had high Christian 
ideals. 

The great diversity of action on the part of the Breth- 
ren made it difficult here for those arriving in camp 
during the latter part of the war to receive proper rec- 
ognition. Brother Wyland Zumbrum arriving in camp 
September, 1918 was much abused by officers and non- 
commissioned officers before he finally obtained recon- 
struction hospital service. Should the war have con- 
tinued who can tell what might have been the lot of the 
Brethren in Camp Taylor? 


CAMP GREENLEAF 

This camp deserves attention because it was a cam- 
ouflaged trap for conscientious objectors, not a camp 
teaching manslaughter, but a school training men in 
relieving human suffering. Then too, Brother Roy E. 
Peters from Bethany Bible School has a strong _testi- 
mony for Christ and the church to offer. 

It is needless to say that Brethren Andrew J. Rex- 
road, Edwin E. Smith, Charles C. Moyus, and Mark M. 
Hollopeter endured much persecution before they were 
ensnared but much more after they realized their situ- 


ation as soldiers. Trying to explain our position as a 


church following Christ an officer retorted to Brother 
Hollopeter ‘‘ ‘To H with Christ’ and started away 
in a fury and would not give me any further chance 
for explanation.’’ 

April 8th, 1918 a captain from Camp Greenleaf 
writes Brother W. J. Swigart, ‘‘Now that they under- 





stand the position, religious objectors in this camp are 


making good soldiers.’’ April 11, 1918 Brother Rex- 


296 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


road writes,**‘There are only three of us here that I 
know of. We have a very hard life to live. This is a 
very wicked place to be. I feel that anything we can 
do here is helping to uphold the war.’’ 


Brother Roy E. Peters, but little more than 21 years 
of age is a good example of what a well trained Chris- 
tian can accomplish. He having joined the Church of 
the Brethren at the age of twelve was well trained in 
its doctrines. While yet a minor he voluntarily for- 
feited pay to keep out of a preparedness parade. 


It was not until March 15 that he was sent to Camp 
Greenleaf. Then he used the tact and sense that Breth- 
ren in other camps had proved to be best. In eivilian 


clothes he went along with his drafted comrades for — 


five days. However, he had not been in camp long be- 
fore he went to his captain and produced his ereden- 
tials and said that. his drilling would soon stop as it was 


learning the art of war. On the next evening the whole | 
company was ordered to get uniforms. His own de- | 


seription is vivid throughout : 


‘“My turn came. The captain stood there beside a 
large pile of uniforms; he ordered me to take up mine, 
I refused to touch it; he ordered me the second time to 
pick it up, at the same time menacing me with his auto- 
matic, again I refused, he then ordered me under ar- 
rest. It was now 7:30 P.M. I was confined to the bar- 
racks until 10 A. M. the following day. Meanwhile, a 
corporal brought in my uniform and other army equip- 
ment and threw them down on my bunk. 

‘“Next day at 10 A. M. I was released. The Sergeant 
then ordered me to come with him to the bath house. 
There was no one else present except him and me. He 


ordered me to put on the army uniform, I refused, he 


then proceeded to strip off my civilian clothing and 
then to dress me up in a new uniform; he forgot to 
button me up properly as a sudden inspiration struck 

















R. E. PETER‘ 
(See page 296) 





a 
2 7 
, 
4 
oT] 


» 


4 





CAMP GREENLEAF 297 





him to take away all my own clothes and ih me finish 
the buttoning myself. 

“‘They couldn’t say now that of my own free will 
I had donned the uniform: but against my will they 
forced the uniform on me and required me to wear it, 
or else go without any clothes. This was all done in 
direct opposition to Secretary of War Baker’s order. 

‘‘After they had gotten the uniform on me I was 
then ordered to go and work in the kitchen. I went 
to the kitchen and worked there all afternoon. 

‘Saturday, March 23, Company ordered out for drill 
exercises in afternoon. I stepped out of the line and 
- stayed until the lieutenant caught sight of me. He or- 
dered me back into line, I went. He then gave the 
command ‘forward march.’ I remained behind stand- 
ing still, lieutenant watching me closely, commanded 
‘company halt,’ caught me by the shoulder and shoved 
me up into line, told me to stay there. He ordered 
‘company march.’ I stood still as before, he came ,back 
exasperated and wanted to know what was wrong with 
me. I explained to him my status in brief. He or- 
dered me to quarters. I complied with his order most 
willingly. 

‘‘Sunday, 24, at 10 A. M. the quarantine was lifted. 
At 12 o’clock a sergeant informed me that I would be 
transferred to Sanitary Corps. About 5 P. M. he came 
after me with the transfer papers. We walked west 
about one half mile to Fort Oglethorpe. He led me into 
the office where I was immediately confronted by a 
erusty captain. At once he informed me that he was a 
Catholic and wished to know why I was taking such 
a stand in the army. I explained to him my attitude 
in the matter. Then he argued awhile and finally sent 
me off to fall in line for mess. 

‘That night I found myself in one of the old barns 
which were used during the Spanish American War, 
and were now converted into guard houses and soldiers’ 


298 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





quarters. Soldiers had their beds in the stalls, two or 
three beds in each stall. Others slept up in the hay 
loft. Officers’ quarters, mess kitchen and quartermas- 
ter store were all in opposite end of barn, All that 
night an unarmed guard kept watch over me with a 
lantern. Once that night the guard allowed me to go 
outside the barn alone. Outside I met Swartzendruber 
who was a Mennonite from Michigan and a conscien- 
tious objector. We lost no time in getting acquainted, 


but quickly told each other our trouble we had been — 


having in the army. There was no time to waste as 
the faithful guard might appear any minute. Both of 


us had the feeling that something was going ta happen 


on the morrow. He encouraged me to stick to it and 
stand up for my principles; and if I had any thoughts 
of wavering before, they were gone now. The next 
morning something did happen, a scene which I never 
care to witness again. 

‘‘Up to this time I did not know any one in camp. 
Through Swartzendruber I learned that there were 
eight other conscientious objectors in the same barn 
with us, at any rate that was a little encouragement; 
for misery loves company. 

‘‘ About 7:30 A. M. Sergeant Merit came through the 
barn shouting orders to the soldiers, he was calling 
them all yellow dogs and cursing every one in general. 
Soldiers formed in a long single line outside, conscien- 
tious objectors inside the barn. Sergeant came in after 
them and forced them out. Because I was nearest the 
door I was the first one out, sergeant ordered me to 
take pick and shovel and get up in line. I refused. 
He said he would throw me in the latrine pit if I didn’t 
obey his orders. He ordered the other conscientious 
objectors up in line, but they refused. In hot anger 
he said that he would give us all a bath in the latrine 
pit. (His own words are unprintable). 

‘‘He grabbed me by both shoulders and forcibly ran 


\ 





CAMP GREENLEAF 299 





me across the road, striking out with his knees as he 
ran. Left me at the latrine shed and ran back after 
another conscientious objector. The crusty Catholic 
captain brought the other two. Merit ordered all 
four of us to remove the roof from the latrine shed 
which was rather heavy. We stood still, both sergeanr 
and captain grabbed Gibson and Swartzendruber by 
their wrists and forced them to go through the motions 
of lifting and pushing off the rooof. Sass and I went 
through the motions; the sergeant and captain did all 
the lifting. Soldiers then quickly cleared away the 
remainder of the wooden structure. Sergeant started 
to. grab me but saw Sass and said he would put him in 
first, said he would put me in next. He put Sass in 
the feces of latrine up to his armpits. My blood boiled 
to see that, and I was to be put in there next. Quickly 
I made up my mind. I told Merit, ‘‘I will jump in 
there,’’ and started forward, the captain grabbed me 
from behind and held me. Merit took a shovel, squatted 
down beside the pit, dipped up a shovel full of exere- 
ment and poured it all over Sasse’s head and face, this 
he repeated a number of times until Sass was thorough- 
ly soaked, saying as he did it, ‘‘I’ll baptize you in the 
name of Jesus Christ.’’ Sass held his hands over his 
eyes and mouth. Sergeant straightened! up, looked at 
Swartzendruber and me, and said, ‘‘Now if you are 
such good Christians, pull your brother out of there.’’ 
Without hesitating we dropped on our knees and leas 
ing forward as far as possible thrust our hands under 
his arms and pulled him out of the filth. Sergeant or- 
dered us to take him over to the bath house and turn 
the cold shower on him. [I left Swartzendruber to turn 
on the water and immediately returned to the scene of 
trouble. Meanwhile Sergeant Merit came to the bath 
house. He was looking for me. He said, ‘‘Where is 
that little devil? Every time he runs away.’’ Then not 
seeing anything of me he seized Swartzendruber and 


300 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





ran him back to the edge of the cess pool and pro- 
ceeded to put him in head first, up to the eyes in the 
feces of the latrine pit. The sergeant asked the cap- 
tain if he should put him all the way in? He received 
no answer from the captain. J warned him of danger 
of killing by suffocation before filth could be removed 
from mouth and nostrils. Sergeant looked at Swartz- ‘ 
endruber and said, ‘Such people, such people, rather 
die than fight,’ then pulled him out and dropped him 
on the ground. He started to get up. The sergeant 
ordered him to lie there. Then he commanded him to” 
go and wash off. Captain put shovel in my hand, com- , 
manded me to fill in the pit with dirt. Taking the — 
shovel from him I stabbed it hard into the earth, feel- 
ing as I did so that I would rather be shot than to take " 
orders from him and go to work. Straightening up and 
looking him squarely in the eye I told him that. At 
once he became infuriated, reached for his automatic 4 
and threatened me with that. Backing up against a — , 
post I said' to him, ‘You can shoot me if you want to’ | 
now thoroughly exasperated he picked up a bat and 
would have used that had not the Major coming up 
just then intervened. He asked each of us if we were 
conscentious objectors, our names and addresses and 
to what churches we belonged. He questioned us close- 
ly. 

‘‘After that we were told to go to our quarters and 
remain there. . 

‘‘Previous to all this, the officers called us ‘heathens 
and God’s outeasts.’ The captain said'‘ A ha! we will see 
what your God will do for you. While you are in our 
hands, He has got nothing to do with this.’ 

‘‘During this occurrence, Monday, Mareh 25, 1918 
the soldiers, probably a hundred of them, kept pressing 
closer and closer until the captain finally drove them 
back with a shovel. 

‘At noon Sergeant Merit came in with a piece of 





CAMP GREENLEAF 301 





bread for each one of us, ‘That is all you get for din- 
ner,’ he said. While we were eating we had opportu- 
nity to talk a little while with a Mennonite preacher, 
Aaron Loucks, who said ‘The boys are being tested,’ 
who was stopping in camp to see how we were faring, 
as well as some others who were in the guard house at 
that time. This man gave us no discouragement for 
which we were thankful. I interviewed General Bir- 
mingham in the matter of members of our faith and he 
promised to segregate these boys on Tuesday, protect 
and provide for them such quarters as are Necessary 
for their comfort and health. 

‘‘That afternoon between two and three o’clock the 
whole bunch of us were questioned and examined very 
closely by medical officers to see if we were insane. 

‘““‘Tuesday, 26, Sergeant Merit came in, ‘You fellows 
ean go anywhere and do what you like,’ he said. 

‘“March 27, Wednesday. Ten objectors, including 
myself were transferred to Headquarters Company No. 
1. There we remained living in tents until May dth, 
when this whole company moved to the Sanitary barns. 

‘“May 14, Tuesday, we were all given orders to wear 
the uniform of the United States and to do fatigue duty 
about the barracks. Again each one refused. The fol- 
lowing day we were arrested and put in the guard 
house: Awaiting trial by court-martial. 

“Two days later we saw two of our friends who had 
enlisted in the motor ambulance of the medical corps 
as non-combatants. However, they were required to 
wear the uniform and go on guard duty when their 
time came; also carry the rifle with fixed bayonet, and 
were given orders to shoot if any prisoners were seen 
trying to escape. As non-combatants they felt them- 
selves to be in a peculiar position and with no other 
alternative. 

‘‘June 7, Friday: After twenty-five days waiting, 
Cox, A. N. C. Quaker, and I were courtmartialed. Six 


302 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


others had their trials postponed until the first of the 
next week. « 

‘‘T was charged with ‘Violation of the 64th Article 
of War,’ and so were the others. 


‘< “Specifications: In that Private Roy E. Peters, M. 
D., N. A., No. 753, 170, Service Company, M. O. T. C., 
having received a lawful command from First Lieuten- 
“ant George L. Daily, M. C., his superior officer, to don 
the prescribed uniform of the United States Army and 
do fatigue duty in Company quarters, did at Camp 


Greenleaf, Chickamauga Park, Ga., on or about the 15th. 


day of May, 1918, willfully disobey the same. 
‘Signed, George L. Daily, 
‘‘First Lieutenant, M. C.’ 


‘‘By Judge Advocate Major Wm. K. Evans— The 
court martial manual provides that religious belief is 
no defense to the charge of disobeying an officer.’? — 

Major Evans, just at close of court-martial. 


The Defence: ‘‘I rest right where this 1s. I don’t | 
know of anything I can say. I think the court has © 


brought out everything that I would wish to know. As 
a matter of form, I believe I will say just one thing for 


this man. Ifthe court please, this man’s attitude, based - 


on what he ealls a conscientious inability to perform 
military service, due to his religious convictions, has 
been a consistent attitude with him ever since he has 


come into the military service, I wish to simply bring > 


out that one thing; that he has been considerable of 
the time under my personal observation, and he has 
consistently refused. There was no shadow of turning, 
a minute.”’ 

Four days prior to the court martial proceedings, 


Major William K. Evans came in the guard house, or-’ 


dered us up in line, said he was appointed attorney for 
our defense, yet he was not in sympathy with conscien- 
tious objectors. His parents were Quakers. Further- 





= 


CAMP GREENLEAF 303 





more he had this to say about us, ‘‘I know it isn‘t easy 
for anyone to take the stand that you men have taken 
and it is always easier to follow the crowd than to 
stand alone for a principle. I know all about you men, 
just how you have acted, what you have said and done 
since you came here. The way I understand it, you 
men are not taking this stand because of anything you 
have made up, but you are standing for a principle of 
your church and the things which you have been 
taught. They have put you men in the army and you 
don’t belong here, now we have to courtmartial you to 
get you out again.’’ 

August 29 at 3:40 P. M. Lieutenant Massey when 
reading sentence, told me ‘‘That I was no longer a cit- 
izen, and therefore not entitled to hold my religious 
belief.’’ I was sentenced to ‘‘Ten years’ hard labor in 
Fort Leavenworth military prison and a dishonorable 
discharge,’’ I thanked him 

The following day Massey ordered me out alone, 
handed me a pick and ordered me to use it. I refused, 
and he ordered the guard, a big heavy Italian, to prod 
me with his bayonet and force me to obey his orders. 
Providentially the man placed the sharp pointed bay- 
onet on the handkerchief in my hip pocket and forced 
me along for several feet, this he repeated several 
times, then I turned and faced him and' remained stand- 
ing motionless in the hot sun for three hours. 

Massey said he would break me. Informed me that 
I was crazy. Put me in solitary under roof in barn, 
under blazing August sun, on a fourteen day period of 
bread and water. I refused to eat for five days. With 
pain in head from sleeping on bare iron army cot, I was 
taken to hospital in semi-conscious state Recovered, I 
was taken back to guard house. I was in hospital two 
weeks, while there was under an armed guard every 
minute, day and night. 

Remained in guard house eight ay September 


, a rn eC ee re 
t ; ; res 
" Wwe , 
oi 


304 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





20th, 1918 we were taken by motor truck to Chattan- 


ooga at night, under guard, eight of us together. 1:30 
A. M., on board train for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 
Arrived in Memphis, Tennessee 11 A. M., September 
21st. Taken to city jail, put in one large cell, remained 
locked up for eight hours until train time. While wait- 
ing in depot a strange lady stepped up to Sass and me 


and said, ‘‘I want to shake hands with you boys, I don’t © 


want you to think every one is down on you because of 
your religion; and I respect you for the. stand you 
_take.’’ Then she shook hands with each one of us. 


Left Memphis 9 A. M., Saturday. Arrived at Leaven- 


worth military prison 3 P M., Sunday, September rate 
Unhandeuffed all the way. 


Dressed in prison clothes with number painted on 


back in large white figures (14589) was my number. 
Worked for three weeks on farm in connection with 
military prison. 


At night and Sundays I was locked in single eell. The | 


bed bugs were unbearable, millions of them infested 
the brick walls. I was compelled by circumstances to 
drink out of the wash bowl. 

October 15th I was admitted to the hospital. I had 
influenza and pneumonia, but survived the plague, and 
left the hospital November 14th. I was sent back to 
work in the hospital as room orderly. The food here 
was better than that served in the prison barracks. 

I was transferred from the locked cell to one of the 
open cell wings, no bugs here, six men sleep in one cell 
in separate beds. 


T was released from Fort Leavenworth U.S. D. B. 


November 25th and sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa, with 
two other conscientious objectors. At the prison the 
officers again tried to get us to don the uniforms, but 
oh refusal they permitted us to wear U.S. D. B. suits 
without numbers. 

Arrived in Camp Dodge November 26th. Again the 


2. 


t 


i 














SARL D. BURNS 
(See page 306) 


Le i ay 


on * ate 





DISCHARGED 305 





captain interviewed us and tried to get us to take up 
non-combatant service. We had our own quarters 
there and did our own cooking and other work but 
were not bound under military orders. 


January 3rd, 1919. All the men at Camp Dodge who 
did not meet the Board of Inquiry at Fort Leavenworth 
were interviewed singly by Major Kelloy. His ques- 
tions were greatly varied and sharp. 


January 17th. Signed Conscientious objector’s dis- 
charge. (Blue one instead of yellow), but refused to 
‘sign military pay roll. 


January 18th. Boarded train for Chicago. 


I refused to accept non-combatant service because it 
is directly connected with the military service. ‘‘ They 
fight who help the fighter fight’’ was the world’s slo- 
gan during the war days. 


To do non-combatant service is to release another 
man for the firing line, and thereby become a ‘‘slack- 
er,’? 


Unless the various units of non-combatant service are 
fully in mesh with the great war wheel of the military 
machine it cannot keep running. The armies of the 
world would soon become depleted if it were not for 
the medical and surgical department which serve to 
keep the army in repair. Major-General Gorgas, sur- 
geon general of the army made this statement—‘‘Sev- 
enty-five to eighty per cent of American troops wound 
ed in battle will be restored and returned to service 
-again.’’ 

Finally, beware of the kind of advice you take in 
time of war, either from strangers, clergymen, friends 
or close relatives. You must know for yourself and 
learn to stand alone; the way to know is to read the 
Bible. 


Brother Roy E. Peters. 


306 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


CAMP DODGE, DES MOINES, IOWA 

Naturally, this camp located in a country sympa- 
thetic with Allied interest whether chiefly French or 
English had no place for the man who would not fight 
for the united cause. Before a Detention Camp was 
finally established conscientious objectors endured un- 
told hardship and suffering. Indeed, some have been 
forced to promise never to reveal the detailed experi- 
ences. 

However, there are a few who are bound by nothing 


but the law of God! as the following testimony of Broth- © 


er Earl D. Burns will reveal. ‘‘I was called in the first 


selective draft December 18, 1917 from Williston, North | 


Dakota. I was the only conscientious objector who 


came from that part of the country. When I landed. ; , 


in Camp Dodge the first thing was a lecture by one of 
the officers on what a man had to do in order to be a 
good soldier, which included cigarettes, prostitution, 
etc. When he got through lecturing all the boys 


cheered him but me. The more he talked the more I~ 


was against it. 

‘‘T started to drill with the rest of them for a couple 
of days but the more of it the worse my conscience 
hurt me. When they issued the uniform I refused to 
take it. Then I had a chance to make my statement, as 
the right man was on hand in a minute to talk to me. 
I certainly got a bawling out right there. However, I 
vot along pretty well at that. To my surprise I was not 
put in jail, but was put to cleaning up, ete. I got my 
bawlings out daily, of course, and was kept there for 
about six or eight weeks. 

‘‘Then orders came that I was to move to the re- 
mount station where, at first, I was treated a little bet- 
ter. There I met with a bunch of Mennonites, Quakers, 
etc., thirty-two in all. As time went on and conditions 
got worse for conscientious objectors until finally one 


after another dropped out and took the regular train- — 





Pe aa ae TF 
Pet ek ee ee ak 


: a 4 ' 

> "> ." 

~ eX eS - 
eT ee See eee en ee 


yp 




















CAMP DODGE 307 


ing and uniform and signed up for service, until there 
were only twelve left. Then they began to punish us 
severely. They made us stand still outdoors without 
much clothing on, in cold weather. Among the many 
threatenings they said they had orders to shoot us after 
a certain date. The day before we were called into the 
major’s office. Only eight of us then, were lined up in 
a row. They put me at the end of the row for they 
mistrusted me to be a sticker. After giving us a long 
talk, telling us what would become of us if we did nu, 
take service, they began at the opposite end of the row 
to give a last chance to accept service. They all ac- 
cepted service but when it came to me, I, standing 
straight, looking the major straight in the eye, said No. 
The other boys did not hardly look up when they gave 
their answer as they seemed afraid, but it only made 
the grit rage in me the more to think there I am alone. 
All had forsaken me after promising me they would 
never give in if they had to die. But yet I was not 
alone, the Lord was with me or I would have failed. 

‘“‘The next morning I was turned over by the major . 
to a bunch of roughnecks of guards. JI was taken out 
in the mule corrals. There I was lined up to be shot 
with my back toward a high corral. They aimed at me. 
The commands were given by a half drunk sergeant. 
NO one fired. Then the sergeant said, ‘shooting is too 
gvood for him, we will hang him.’ I was then stood un- 
der a’high gate with a rope placed around my neck. 
The rope extended over the top of the gate to a man 
on horseback, where it was fastened to the saddle horn. 
They asked me if I had anything to say before they 
started up the horse. I told them that I trusted in God. 
If I was worthy of death that it was up to them. 

‘‘The man on the horse started up. But he had loos- 
ened the rope from the horse and it was dropped to 
the ground when he started. They all walked off, talk- 
ing among themselves. I could not hear what they 


308 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





said. I was left there standing with my hands tied 
behind me and the rope around my neck, After re- 
leasing myself I went back to the barracks. A few days 
later Aaron Loucks, the Mennonite conscientious objec- 
tor overseer came to camp and had the authorities give 
us all another chance.”’ 

March 15, 1918 Aaron Loucks writes concerning this: 
‘‘T have visited eight or nine of the camps and in each 
one we now have segregation and the boys are taking 
their stand of no service under the military establish- 


ment. At Camp Dodge we had our hardest test but we . 


succeeded in our last visit in securing the release of six 
brethren from the guard house and about ten others 
took their position with these brethren of no service 
under the military establishment. They have since been 


segregated and are awaiting the ruling of the Secretary 


of War in their case. We also take the stand no uni- 
form nor war drill which enables us to make a strong- 
er case.’’ 

Brother Burns gives results, continuing: ‘‘ We were 
segregated in a detention camp. There we were under 
different officers and were treated fine. They tried to 
get us that way. This lasted a month or so during, 
which time I was not idle, but went about camp vis- 
iting the Brethren as they came to camp in the drafts. 
I then visited Brother Walter Oliver who, with others, 
was added to our number until we had quite a com- 
pany. 

‘““We were then confined to quarters so we could not 
talk to any one. Then came trial after trial, sort of 
preliminary hearings, not court martial trials. Condi- 
tions grew worse, and worse, and worse, and our num- 
ber decreased. Then came a time that Walter Oliver 
and several others were put in the guard house. Some 
of them took service. When the officers saw that it 
worked all right they put the rest who would not ac- 
cept service in the guard house.’’ 


a a 


CAMP DODGE 309 


Brother Frank G. Deidiker describes conditions in 
the guard! house, viz: 

‘“‘On May 22 twelve conscientious objectors on relig- 
ious grounds were confined to the guard house. On the 
morning of May 30 we were kept at attention for two 
hours, and in the afternoon for three.hours as Po 
ment for refusal to perform military labor. 

‘On June 1, for the same reason, we were given very 
‘rigorous treatment, first a cold water shower and serub- 
bing with yellow soap and serub brushes. Then five 
hours of so-called ‘exercises;’ one of those exercises 
was holding a spoon at arm’s length, straight in front 
for several minutes until extremely painful; another, 
walking around the room in the full-squat position an 
exhaustive number of times; another, standing unsup- 
ported on the left leg over an hour, with the right foot 
tied. to the hip; another, transferring water in spoons 
from one bucket to another and back again, this being 
repeated, a time of over three hours.’’ 


Brother Burns adds: ‘‘ While serving in the guard 
house the Board of Inquiry came. We were marched 
up before them under guard all the time except right 
in the Board’s presence. They did not take all. I 
think Walter Oliver was left behind. We were marched 
co a mess hall for our meals. They gave us only spoiled 
stuff, things that would have been thrown in the gar- 
bage can. It was so rank that it made most of us sick. 

‘One day we all got papers stating we were to be 
court martialed. They only got three court martialed, 
when for some reason they stopped. Conditions got so 
bad that we made up a letter between us, giving de- 
tails, slipped it out regardless of guards through three 
different parties to Washington, D. C.. We got justice 
‘in about ten days, when nine of us were left out of the 
guard house. But the other three, including Walter 
Oliver, remained and were later sent to Fort Leaven- 
worth. 


310 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


‘‘ About three weeks later we were furloughed. I, 
being lucky, got a good place. In about three months 
I was called back and discharged December 18, 1918.’ 


A ministering Brother from North Dakota who ar- | 


rived in Camp Dodge in the spring of 1918 was ‘‘aw- 
fully mistreated because he refused to put on the uni- 
form and drill. I have it from good authority that they 
thought he was dead at one time.’’—A. M. Sharp. 
Soldiers of the cross, as have been shown, fought well 


and in many different positions, to maintain a pure con- — 


science. Brother Lester 8. Smith waged war on Amer- 


ican soil for conscience sake in a unique way. Unlike 


most of the Camp Dodge Brethren he did not reach 


the prison, but evidence of his strong position against 


war,—drill and uniform will likely be carried in his ~ 


body to the grave. Others were prodded and eut with 
bayonets, but he alone of the Brethren had _ bones 
broken in efforts to break his will to remain separate 
from the army. ; 

His detailed account of the accident after the officers 
had given up hopes of making a soldier out of him, fol- 
low.—‘‘The rest of the company wanted to know why 
I did not wear the uniform. I told them the reasons. 
They said they did not want to either, and, that I 
wasn’t any better than they were. Some of the acting 
sergeants came around after supper and they said they 
would give me an hour to put the uniform on. I told 
them, I might in a few days but I wanted a little time 
to study over it. They came around later and’ told me 
they would give me five minutes to make up my mind. 
I told them I wouldn’t do it. They took a blanket off 
a bed, and took me outside the tent. They put me in 
it. Carrying me a few rods to the ends of the tents, 
they started with their fun. 

‘‘T don’t know how often they tossed me or how high. 
How many had hold of the blanket I don’t know, but 
was told that all who could find room helped toss me. 





peut ee ——— OO 








f 


CAMP DODGE 311 


I held to the edge of the blanket a few times with my 
right hand and I suppose that had a tendency to throw 
me on. the ground. They might have let me fall on 
purpose. I noticed that my arm was broken and told 
them so. They picked me up and took me to the tent, 
someone called an ambulance, which took me first to an 
infirmary, then to the hospital. This happened about 
eight o’clock, September 20, 1918.’’ 


' The armistice was signed before any use could be 
made of Brother Smith. His recovery was low but in 
1919 he was discharged from the army. Other conscien- 
tious objectors were tried for not wearing the uniform 
and put in the. guard house and confined there long 
after the armistice was signed. 


The most important incident in Camp Dodge regard- 
ing conscientious objectors was the arrest of Elder 
John A. Robinson, May, 1918. He was a regular vis- 
itor, but a certain captain charged him with violating 
the espionage act on three counts: (1) Distributing the 
minutes of the Goshen Conference with certificate of 
church membership. (2) Relating the trouble some 
young Brethren had aiter accepting the uniform In 
Eastern Camps. (3) Influencing Brethren not to wear 
the uniform. 


Great publicity was given to the case. It was tried 
before a Federal Grand Jury. An indictment was re- 
turned. Two of the best attorneys of Des Momes were 
employed. The church as a whole stood ready to assist 
the arrested Brethren. Bond was given to keep him 
from jail. Advices were exchanged by mail and wire. 


One term of court was about over. The next, fall 
term of court convened and when the trial would pos- 
sibly have been called the nation was on knees of thank- 
fulness for peace. | 


312 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


BRETHREN DRAFTED TO CAMP FUNSTON AND 
FORT RILEY, KANSAS 


That this camp is far away from Washington and 
was under the command of Major General Leonard 
Wood made it a terrible place for conscientious objec- 
tors to be sent. Though practically all conscientious 
objectors who were sent to Leavenworth saw one or © 
both of these camps, we mention only those drafted to 
these places from home. In the early part of the war 
the government intended to make Funston the largest’ 
cantonment. 


When the hordes of men came pourmeg into this camp 
from the Rockies to the Mississippi and northward from 
the Rio Grande, the Brethren were far from organized 
to take care of the drafted ones. <A factor conducive 
to this lethargy was the annual Meeting in Wichita, 
which left the impression that we would be left at 
home but should help as best we could the grand goy- — 
-_ ernment of U. 8. A. When they were informed that 
they would have to go, they went, ‘‘Thinking they 
would not be asked to uniform themselves and drill 
with the others, but they were terribly disappointed. In 
our talk with two of the head officers they said very 
emphatically, ‘Why did you send them here if they 
were not to drill and take the usual training?’ They 
also said they had no such thing as a detention camp 
here for non-combators.’’ D. A. Crist. Urging that all 
non-resistants refuse to go to camps he continues, “‘If 
some Brethren could get some written and signed or- 
ders from some proper authorities to present at the 
camps that would excuse them from the usual drill, ete., 
then it would be fair for them, but as it is they will 
almost be compelled to fall in line and forsake their 
baptismal vow which some have already done. What 
a duty! Oh, God help us.’’ 

A month later he reports, ‘‘About 150 segregated, 


‘ 








C. O.’s at Camp Dodge 
Remount Station 


CAMP FUNSTON AND FORT RILEY 313 


however not in accord with Secretary Baker’s orders. 
They were put in a separate room today and given but 
one blanket (no bed in the room at all) and are to be 
given nothing to eat at all except bread and! water until 
they obey orders. One of these I am well acquainted 
with, but was not permitted to see him. One other was 
sent to the guard house last night.’’ He strongly urges 
united action with Friends and Mennonites. November 
15 he reports, ‘‘The non-resistants were being treated 
better than before. Some have been persecuted very 
much.’’ 

The most exact account is that of Brother Roy H. 
Mohler reprinted from ‘‘The Gospel Messenger,’’ 
March 16, 1918: 

“here are about 150 objectors in our company, con- 
sisting of Mennonites, Quakers, Adventists, Russellites, 
Brethren, and a few representing other organizations. 

‘Only a few of the boys have taken up definite work. 
Several of the Brethren boys are in the medical depart- 
ment. One of them is working in one of the regimentaf 
infirmaries; the others are with the Sanitary Train. 

‘“While some have experienced a few rather severe 
trials, as a whole we have gotten along very well. Even 
those who have been more severely tried, feel that they 
are none the worse for it. Our ministers visit us at 
times; also the Mennonite ministers. At times the 
Brethren and Mennonite ministers are here on Sunday. 
At such times we have a union service, which is al- 
- ways very much enjoyed by all. The Heavenly Father 
must be pleased at the spirit of unity, manifested in 
this way, at a time when a great principle, held in com- 
mon, is at stake. The ‘Messenger’ also is a welcome 
guest. 

‘“‘The writer was transferred several times before 
reaching the segregation barracks. While this was not 
‘‘our way,’’ the opportunity it afforded to get acquaint- 
ed with the other boys and their experience in army 


ol4 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 








life, caused us to take a broader view of the situation 
and, after all, was no doubt, for the best. We were 
one month in the Field Artillery, one month in the De- 


pot Brigade, and over a month in the Quartermaster’s 


office. 

‘“‘The boys, here at Camp Funston, are well cared 
for. We have enough to eat and good medical and hos- 
pital service. We have Bible study and prayer meeting 
in the Barracks each evening. At present we are study- 
ing the ‘Life of Christ,’ and are finding it very inter- 
esting. If the Barracks were large enough we would 
be glad to have the ‘Messenger’ family enjoy our meet- 


ings with us, but we know you are with us in spirit; 
no doubt it is an answer to your prayers, as well as— 


ours, that we are faring as well as we are. 

‘‘But while we are getting along very well and hay- 
ing some very good times, we are anxious to get into 
some positive, constructive work, though humble, 
which will contribute, in some small way, to the good 
rather than to the destruction of humanity.’’ 

Enduring the terrible grilling in camp before the 
_ President defended ‘‘Non-combatant Service,’’ Half of 
the Brethren had to decide April Ist as to their posi- 
tion. Brother Mohler reports April 10th, ‘‘I am sorry 
to say, about six of the Brethren boys have accepted 
the Quartermaster work. The worst feature of it is, I 
fear part of them have accepted cigarette smoking and 
some other undesirable habits.”’ 

Writing of the difference in views of visiting preach- 
ers as well as boys he says, ‘‘It is a little hard for the 
officers to decide whether or not to class us as objec- 
tors.’’ The several Brethren who take the position as 
absolute objector after seeing every phrase of army 
life take II Corinthians 6:14-18 (Be ye not unequally 
yoked, ete.); as final advice.. Brother Crist admits 
August 31, 1918 that our Brethren have been badly 
neglected in Camp Funston and that during the summer 








CAMP FUNSTON AND FORT RILEY 315 


of 1918 conscientious objectors were being tried to the 
bitter end. In September two fathers were asked if 
they were non-resistants when applying at the pass 
office for the privilege of visiting their sons. Answer- 
ing affirmatively they were sent away without letting 
the boys have even a friendly word from home. The 
boy who compromised sufficiently to accept non-com- 
batant service had' to take the service the officers chose 
for him. (D. A. C. 10-14-18). 


The following account written by a Kansas brother, 
- Ezra Earl Barnhart who suffered in Kansas camps 
makes conditions clear. His induction into the service 
was similar to that of other conscientious objectors, but 
his discharge from service was at his own risk, having 
received many physical injuries, from which he has not 
yet fully recovered. 

‘“‘T think it out of the question to relate all experi- 
ences but will give some: In camp almost daily we suf- 
fered slurs and uncouth remarks with occasional 
threats; outside many falsehoods, which were mere 
rumors that grew to abnormal proportions. One of 
these was that I tried to run away and got shot in the 
heel; another that I had been daubed with molasses 
and given over to the flies for refusing to wear the uni- 
form, ete. Two months was spent in the guard house, 
the first period of which was in a somewhat darkened 
cell that was crowded to twice its capacity. Here a 
number of us got the ‘flu.’ One week was spent in the 
hospital with that dreaded malary after which we were 
' returned to solitary confinement in the guard house and 
were soon given our Court Martial trial and later sent 
to the prison at Leavenworth. I arrived at that place 
sick in body and weakened by the strenuous burden of 
the day without having been permitted to partake of 
food. Here I could not see my way clear as to what to 
do and was placed in a dark boarded-up solitary cell on 
bread and water, being marched to the bars during the 


316 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





day time and sleeping on a board with three little, 
dirty, ragged blankets at nights. This was for refusing 
to sign up for prison labor. Everything personal was 


taken away, even my Bible. Upon being placed in the 


cell I lay upon the floor almost fainting. But thanks 
be to God, man can not deprive one of the Word that is 
hid in the heart and remembering the words of the 
Lord Jesus when he said that men ought always to pray 


and not to faint; I immediately arose to my knees and 


prayed through to peace and victory. And here I ree- 
ommend to the children especially, that they lay up a 
store of Bible verses while they are young and while 
memorizing is easy. 


‘Shortly after being placed in solitary at Leaven- | 


worth I had become happy in the Spirit and was hum- 
ming and singing, ‘Praise God from whom all blessings 
flow,’ when suddenly the door of my cell was opened 
and the cell guard said that if I did not keep still he 
would knock my brains out. I told him that I didn’t 
know but what it was allowable as I heard others were 
singing. (Some boys were singing ragtime) He said 
that I was a liar to which I made no further reply. I 
was at this time manacled to the bars of the inside door, 
so I kept quiet as I did not want to desregard rules 
where no principle was at stake. Ezra Earl Barnhart.’”’ 


BRETHREN AND OTHERS IN PRISON 


This chapter deals with individual Brethren and 
others rather than groups. Each one is entitled to at 
least a page if his record were at hand» The mouths 
of many have been sealed by threats of military men. 
As everywhere in these records it is not partiality but 
rather availability of facts which gives some more 
prominence than others. Before we censure the author- 
ities too severely for the conditions which will be de- 
seribed presently, let us remember that Brother Ray- 
mond Brumbaugh of California would not have been 


IN THE MILITARY DUNGEON 317 





transferred to the Friends Reconstruction Unit after 
being sent to France by mistake, maintained at gov- 
ernment expense until it was safe for him to return 
home, had not the authorities intended to be reason- 
able with us. Another was returned from Siberia when 
it was discovered he was in the army by mistake. 

The guard houses, stockades and military prisons 
were used as a whip to enforce obedience to orders, In 
some of the camps where non-resistants were not known 
we find extreme persecution, as non-commissioned offi- 
cers holding a brother down on a concrete floor and 
strangling him with a water hose, then resuscitating 
him. Many were forced into uniforms by clothing thefts 
and other embarrassing and painful assaults. 

In the East, Fort Leavenworth; in the West, Alcatraz 
Island is the bitterest end a disobedient soldier can 
reach. The following gives a vivid picture of persecu- 
tion endured by brethren in the non-resistant faith of 


Christ : 


FOUR HUTTERITE MENNONITES IN THE MILI- 
TARY DUNGEON 
Written by J. G. Evert, Hillsboro, Kansas. Translated 
by Maurice A. Hess, Mont Alto, Pennsylvania., 

_ Who was in solitary confinement with Jacob. 

The following remarkable occurrence is founded on 
the report of David, a Hutterite brother, who was re- 
leased from the Military Prison after his two brothers, 
Joseph and Michael, had lost their lives in the prison 
under deplorable circumstances. The truth of this 
heart-breaking story has been corroborated in every 
respect by means of the independent report of a fourth 
of the brethren, Jacob by name, the brother-in-law of 
one of those mentioned, who at this time (February, 
1919) yet remains in the prison. (The family names 
of the four men are here omitted according to their 
wish.) 


318 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


The position of the Hutterite brethren with reference 
to military service has perhaps been stricter than any 
other part of the Mennonite people; for that reason, 
also, the treatment of which they have suffered in bo 
_ military has been particularly inhuman, 

When the four above named brethren set off toward 
the camp, their suffering began already on the way be- 


cause of their beards, similarly as it usually had hap- 


pened to their brethren and also the Holdemann peo- 
ple. The other young men on the same train took it 


on themselves to cut off the beard and the hair of the ™ 


Hutterites, and at this they naturally proceeded in no 
gentle way. They wept over the indignity when from 
this as an omen it was evident to them what they could 
expect. 


As soon as they arrived at Camp Lewis, a card was 


put before them on which they should sign a promise 
to perform obsequiously all military commands. When 
for religious reasons they absolutely refused te do all 


military service, or to bind themselves in any way, or 


to take up service under military direction, they re- 


ceived the command to step into rank and to march . 


with the others to the drill ground. This they also re- 


fused to do, neither did they accept the uniform. (The © 


brethren have their own self-made style of dress). Con- 
squently the four men immediately were sent to the 
guard house. Particularly painful to them were the 
frightful blasphemy and abuse which they had to hear 
incessantly. 

After two months in the guard house they were con 
demned for 37 years by the court-martial, but this sen- 
tence was reduced to 20 years by the commanding gen- 
eral. The Military Prison on Alcatraz Island, San 
Francisco Bay, was designated as the place of impris- 
onment. Chained together two by two, hand and foot, 


they were sent to that place under the guard of four 
armed lieutenants. In the daytime the shackles on — 








IN THE MILITARY DUNGEON 319 





their feet were unlocked, but the handcuffs never. At 
night they had to lie together two by two, flat on their 
backs, chained to one another in pairs. There was lit- 
tle sleep on the two nights of the journey, only groan- 
ing and weeping. 

As soon as they arrived at the Alcatraz Prison, their 
own clothing was forcibly taken off of them. They 
were ordered to put on the military uniform, but they 
refused as previously. Then they were brought into 
the underground dungeon, into solitary, dark cells, full 
of excrement and stench. The uniform was thrown to- 
ward them at the time with the words, ‘‘If you do not 
submit, then you must remain here until you give up 
the ghost, like the four whom we carried out from here 
- yesterday.’’ 

Thus they were confined in their light underclothing. 
The first four and a half days they received nothing at 
all to eat, only a half glass of water every 24 hours. 
At night they had to sleep on the cold, damp conerete 
floor without blankets. The last day and a half they 
had to stand with their hands over their heads cross- 
wise, fettered to the iron beam and strapped up so 
high that only with difficulty could they reach the 
floor with their feet. This strained the tendons of their 
arms so much that David, who at the present time is 
released and is at home, says that he even now can feel 
the effects of it in his side. Sometimes, he relates, that 
he alleviated his pains a little in the following way: 

with great difficulty he drew the excrement bucket 
nearer with his foot so that he could stand on it and 
- relax the strain on his arms somewhat. During this 
time they could not speak with one another because 
they were too far apart ; but once David heard as Jacob 
eried out, ‘‘O, Almighty God!”’ 

When the five days expired, they were brought out 
from the ‘‘hole’’ into the yard, where a number of 
other prisoners were standing. A few of these, moved 


(320 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


with compassion by the appearance of the Hutterites. 
One said with moist eyes, ‘‘Is it not an outrage to treat 
men in such a manner?’’ For the men were covered 
with one cutaneous eruption, gnawed at by insects, and 
their arms were so swollen that they could not draw 
the sleeves of their coats over them. They had also 
been struck with cudgels in the dungeon. Once Mich- 
ael had been so inhumanly beaten that he fell down un- 
conscious. ) 

After they were let go out of the dungeon at noon 


on the fifth day, they yet received no food, nothing be- . 


fore evening, when they finally received supper. After 
that they were again cooped up in their cells day and 
night. Only on Sunday for an hour they were allowed 
to walk around a little within the enclosure in the yard, 


but only under strict guard. In this condition they had 


to spend four months in the Prison at Aleatraz. Then 
at the end of November they were transferred from Al- 
eatraz to Fort Leavenworth, and were taken to that 
place by six armed non-commissioned officers, and 


again they were fettered together two by two. This 


journey went down through Texas and continued four 
days and! five nights. They arrived at Leavenworth 
about 11:00 P. M., and were. driven in the middle of 
the street with great clamor and bayonet-pricking, as if 
swine were being driven. In their arms that _ were 
chained together they carried their travelling bags, m 
the other hand their Bibles, and a wider pair of shoes 
under one arm. And thus ihey were constantly goaded 
on to greater speed’, up the hill to the place where the 
military prison is. When they arrived at the gate, they 
were covered with perspiration, so that even the hair 
on their heads was wet. And in this condition, in the 
raw, cold winter wind, they again had to take off their 
own outer clothing in order to put on the prison cloth 
ing, which should have been brought from within for 
them before they were let in. When this was done after 





MARL BARNHART 
(See Page 315) 





IN THE MILITARY DUNGEON 321 


two hours, they were almost benumbed on account of 
the cold probably for an hour in the night. Early in 
the morning, about five o’clock, they again had to 
stand in the cold wind im front of a door and wait. 
Joseph and Michael could endure it no longer, but got 
such violent pains that they had to be taken to the hos- 
pital. . 

Jacob and David were taken back to the solitary 
dungeon cells because they refused to do the prison 
work under military control. They had to stick their 
hands through the iron grating, and there the hands 
were then chained together. Thus they had to stand 
nine hours a day, and received only bread and water 
for food. This was continued fourteen days; then they 
received regular meals for fourteen days, and then al- 
ternated again. 

When Joseph and Michael became so violently ill, 
Jacob sent a telegram home to the wives of the two 
brothers. They left their children at home and set out 
in the company of a relative yet the same night. The 
matter was made still worse by this fact: the railroad 
agent maintained that the telegram had come from 
Fort Riley and not from Fort Leavenworth. He sold 
them a ticket to the wrong station, and they thus lost 
a day’s time when they first stopped at Fort Riley. 
Finally they arrived at Fort Leavenworth about 11:00 
P. M., and found their husbands so near death that they 
could hardly speak with them any longer. When they 
were again let in, early the next morning, Joseph was 

already dead, and the body put in a coffin. They said 
he could no longer be seen. But his wife, Maria, 
pressed through the guards and doors up to the head 
officer, and besought him to see her husband just once. 
Then was she shown where the body lay in the coffin. 
She went there and looked in through her tears. But 
to her horror she had to see that they had dressed her 
beloved husband in the uniform of a soldier, which he 


322 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


during his life had so steadfastly refused in order to 


remain true to his religion. When his brother Michael 
died in a few days, he was dressed in his civilian cloth- 
ing after it had been expressly requested by his father, 


who meanwhile also had come. When Michael died, his 


father and his wife and brother David were present 
as he once more reached out his hands and said, ‘‘ Come, 
Lord Jesus! Into Thy hands I commit my spirit.’’ 
As soon as the relatives had departed with this body 
also, David was sent back to his chains in the solitary 


cell. He said, ‘‘The whole following day I stood there _ 


and wept; but I could not wipe away one of the tears, 
for my hands were manacled to the iron bars of the 


Prison.’’ No one seemed to pity him. But the next 
morning a sentry voluntarily agreed to deliver a mes- 
sage to the head officer for David. Then he let David © 


ask for permission to have his cell nearer to that of his 
friend Jacob so that they could look at each other at 
least, if they could not speak to each other also. The 
sentry took the message to the head officer, and in 
about an hour he came back and said that David should 
pack up his clothes: he was to be discharged! But this 
eame to him too unexpectedly, and he could not appre- 
hend it. The sentry took him along to the head officer, 
who again said the same thing, and made out David’s 
discharge papers. A request for permission to go to 
his friend and bid farewell was not granted. So then 
he went down to the gate, but outside he yet hesitated, 
when he was again in doubt whether the occurrence 
was a reality or only a dream. As he was thus stand- 
ing there, a sentry came over and asked why he was 
standing there. ‘‘They tell me I am released, and I 
cannot be sure of it.’’ Then the sentry replied, ‘‘ You 
can be quite sure of it, for no one may come out here 
who has not been released.’’ Then David said he was 







eager to leave a word of farewell for his friend Jacob. 


Then the sentry said he should write a few lines on 


IN THE MILITARY DUNGEON 323 





paper, and he would deliver it to Jacob yet on the same 
day. And this he did; for in his next letter to his wife, 
Jacob wrote, ‘‘ Kathrine, just ask David, he will be able 
to tell you all verbally better than I can write it.’’ 
From this it was easy to see that he already knew of 
David’s homecoming. 

The lamentable funeral rites and the evident sym- 
pathy of the entire neighborhood are indescribable. 
They had been away from their homes and their loved 
ones six months and almost the entire time in hard 
dungeon imprisonment with the most inhuman treat- 
ment,—and now to come home as corpses, it is more 
_than the pen can deseribe. They are as the champions 
of Christ their Master, running into his arms and en- 
tering into eternal rest. 

On December 6, the Secretary of War issued an order 
whereby the chaining of military prisoners as well as 
other inhuman corporal punishments should no longer 
be allowed. But about five days later when two of the 
Hutterite brethren went to Fort Leavenworth to visit 
Jacob, they found him yet in the solitary cell with his 
hands chained to the iron bars, standing nine hours a 
day. At seven o’clock in the morning he received 
bread and water for breakfast; about noon he was let 
loose 30 minutes to eat up his bread and water; and 
about 5:30 in the evening he again received the same 
when he was let loose for the night. For his rest at 
night he received four blankets; but he had to sleep on 
the conerete floor, and bugs were there without num- 
ber. 

Jacob sent home with'the visitors the following mes- 
sage: ‘‘Often I envy the three who already have been 
released from this place of torture. Then I think, why 
is the hand of the Lord so heavy upon me? Neverthe- 
less I have tried to be true and diligent and have yet 
made the brotherhood very little trouble. Why must 
I now suffer so long by myself? But then there also 


324 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


comes to me again a pleasure, so that I can weep for 


joy, when I consider that the Lord regards me worthy © 


to suffer a little for his sake. And I have to confess, 
in comparison with our previous experience, this life 
here is as In a palace.’’ From this the reader can ¢con- 
celve a picture of what these four have endured at Al- 
eatiraz, if Jacob now thinks in Fort Leavenworth it is 
more as a palace in comparison to the former place. So 
on bread and water to stand nine hours a day, chained 
in solitary, and at night to sleep on the concrete floor 


among the vermin, as in a palace! It is the same as if 


a deliverance by means of death were to be preferred 
to a longer life in such a living sepulchre. 

On December 12, finally the chaining of military 
prisoners was stopped according to the order of the 
Secretary of War, as above mentioned. Boards were 
also laid on the floor for the solitary prisoners to he 
on, and this is considerably warmer than on the bare 
conerete floor. Kurther improvements yet were made 
after the many written petitions had been submitted 
to the War Department. 

Jacob also became sick and was taken to the hospital 
for a few days, and from this place his story first 
reached the outside world, and it was printed in the 
English language in Chicago as well as in many other 
cities also, and by means of it David’s statement is com- 
pletely corroborated. Yet Jacob was not one of the 113 
eonscientious objectors who were released from Fort 
Leavenworth on January 27, 1919, in consequence of 
the order of the Secretary of War. But let us hope 
that his time soon will come and also that of all the 
remainder ! 

The case of these Hutterite Mennonites is one of 
more than ordinary practice of severity ; but a hundred 
Mennonites and other non-resistants have been treated 
with similar outrage and inhumanity in guard houses 
of training camps and in the military prisons. Who can 





IN THE MILITARY DUNGEON 325 


take it upon himself to eall these men ‘‘cowards,’’ in- 
deed who can do it! They are at least a living monu- 
ment for what harmless religious people in these ‘‘en 
lightened’’ times yet must suffer because their convic- 
tions do not agree with those of other people.. 

J. G. Evert. 


Of the sixteen or more of the Church of the Brethren 
to reach military prisons but two, Charles E. Mohr, of 
Coopersburg, Pa., and’ Willard F. Heminger of Elkhart, 
Indiana, alone were imprisoned in Aleatraz. Their stay 
was but for a short time in the summer of 1919. They 
were discharged September 5, 1919. The many months 
of persecution in guard house, stockade and prison 
which they endured rather than do some work which 
they considered wrong is the heart balm of today, a 
fit reward for keeping a clear conscience. They refuse 
to make any statement regarding their persecutions, 
but. Brother Mohr says, ‘‘My advice to Brethren who 
are or may be drafted is that they should follow the 
dictates of their conscience. But, their consciences 
should be governed by the teachings of the King of 
Kings, The Prince of Peace instead of the ‘‘Patriotic’’ 
shouts of men.’’? The reason for the imprisonment of 
these Brethren is unknown. Brother Mohr was as- 
signed, however, to a farm where living conditions 
were bad and the work was of Quartermaster nature, 
producing and delivering milk to Naval Station, Anna- 
polis. He protested. His county agent sent him back 
tc camp being too impatient to re-assign him. Brother 
Heminger in Camp Taylor seems to have been court- 
martialed as were thirty others. | 

Three who were court martialed in Camp Taylor at 
so great expense to the army arrive at U.S. D. B. 
about August, 1918. Brother Everett R. Fisher writes 
August 21, 1918, of the imprisonment, viz: 

‘‘Fourteen of our boys at Camp Taylor were sent 
here, the rest being left there and I have heard since, 


326 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 
ENS Ea, RAS aah NAMIE 
have been furloughed. We are all well and feeling good. 
We often grow very impatient and sometimes feel very 
keenly the injustic done us. But I suppose a few extra 
trials are good for us, 

‘Only three of the Church of the Brethren were sent 
here, L. Blickenstaff, William Goppert and myself. I 


have found two Old Orders here from California but i 
that is all I know. We are in the D. B. the same as’ 


other prisoners, are treated the same as others. But 
we can not say anything of our treatment as all who 
behave themselves are treated O. K. We boys do re- 
ceive some consideration in our work and are trusted 
more than the average prisoner. We are working at the 
dairy barn here. I think there are nearly 150 conscien- 
tious objectors here inside the walls. Most of them are 
working on the farm in some capacity. The work we 
find is not work that is so necessary but work just for 
the work’s sake. It is this way in many cases, although 
not all. The dairy farm, hog farm and farm are the 
main profit producing factors here. 

“Tf it is necessary that we suffer such impositions, 
even to serving ten years in order that the principles 
of Christ be lived m their entirety and lived without 
compromise J am ready to suffer them and my whole 
life if necessary. Ours is the opportunity of living the 
whole Christian life in every way, a well rounded 
Christ life if you pleace, and living it in the worst en- 
vironment and temptations. It seems to me if a man 
ean come out of this hole without any feelings of re- 
sentment against any one, and has lived an exemplary 
life while here, that there is little doubt of his sincer- 
ity. May God so help us to live each day, each min- 
ute.’’ 

Little can be said about Brother Jesse Ellis Myers 
and George S. Studebaker and the Progressive Brother 
Charles W. Bolley except that they were imprisoned 
October 4, 1918 after having shown a tendency to com- 





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FORT RILEY o27 


promise with the army at Camp Taylor rather than 
accept the court martial sentence. The discharge of all 
from Camp Taylor should have been among the first. 
However, Brother Lloyd Blickenstaff was sick when 
the Board of Inquiry was at Fort Leavenworth Janv- 
ary, 1919. Later when interviewed he was recom- 
mended for a discharge as were the others but was 
given a dishonorable discharge by mistake March 27, 
1919. Brother Bolley died in prison. 

The greatest number of Brethren to arrive at Fort 
Leavenworth came about the middle of July, 1918. Not 
having been court martialed they were not yet subjects 
for U.S. D. S. They were put out in the Fort where 
Brethren from Lee and Meade met the Board of In- 
guiry. Maurice A. Hess describes the successive moves 
of this group, viz: 


| FORT RILEY 

The Fort Riley Conscientious Objectors’ Camp seems 
to have originated from an attempt to get conscientious 
objectors to surrender their principles unawares. At 
the Fort Leavenworth central detention camp, about 
July 13, 1918, Captain Leard, an officer of tact and 
judgment, called for twenty volunteers to go to Fort 
Riley to work in the hay fields. No clear statement of 
the conditions of the work was given, but twenty-one 
from the group at Fort Leavenworth agreed to go. 
When they arrived at Fort Riley, they learned that 


_ they were to make hay on the military reservation for 


cavalry horses under the direction of military officers, 
and most of them refused. The coming of the Board of 
Inguiry to Fort Leavenworth on July 19 caused the re- 
eall of this group. The Fort Leavenworth detention 
camp had increased rapidly because of transfers from 
camps in all parts of the country. 


On July 25, the entire group of about one hundred 
fifty was transferred to Fort Riley with the very ob- 


328 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


vious purpose of working us into the Quartermaster 
department of the army by the hay making route. Very 
early in the morning of July 26, all were lined up out- 


side and an effort was made to intimidate and stam- 


pede the group to the army hay fields, but the results 
were very meagre. The group as a whole was admit- 
tedly firm and radical, being composed largely of those 
whom the army had not succeeded in satisfactorily 
classifying in their original camps. Of the religious 


groups represented, the Mennonites were distinctly the. 


most numerous. Other smaller groups were Quakers, 
Church of the Brethren, Old German Baptist, Seven 


Day Adventist, Russellite, Christadelphian, Pentecostal, | 


Plymouth Brethren, Mollikan, with a scattered repre- 


sentation from churches less widely known or not dis- 


tinetly non-resistant in their teaching. 
After the failure of the hay stampede, other devices 
were tried. Possibly about forty were willing to help 


to construct a mess hall for their own use. The others — 
refused for various reasons and were transferred from 


the barracks to a tent colony on that account, or be- 
cause they declined to serve as kitchen police in place 
of the small group working in the hay field. New men 
continued to come in during August and September 
until the total number of tent colony and barracks was 
probably above two hundred. 

At the time of the transfer to Fort Riley, we were 
placed under the charge of Lieutenant Donaldson, an 


officer of very mediocre ability and no judgment. His 


inability and lack of tact doubtless contributed to our 
difficulties. After the completion of the mess hall, for 
reasons never explained we continued to use the bar- 
racks as before. In the meantime efforts were being 
made by friends to secure the farm furloughs which 
had been promised to many of us, but they were never 
granted. All of the time we were subject to the author 


ity of Mr. Leonard Wood, whose well known hostility 


















FORT RILEY 329 
to the principles of Christianity as exemplified by the 
conscientious objectors unavoidably inspired in his sub- 
ordinate officers the belief that their advancement 
would not be hastened by their favor ane consideration 
of the objectors. 

During the summer, conditions of food and shelter 
at the barracks were reasonably fair; but at the tent 
colony from time to time coercive measures were used, 
such as the issuing of raw food and the forbidding of 
its preparation in common. When they were permitted 
to cook collectively, their kitchen conditions could 
hardly be described as sanitary. As a result there were 
a number of hunger strikes among the more radical in 
the tent colony. 

About the middle of September, Colonel Waterman 
was appointed commander of Fort Riley, and his ecom- 
ing seemed to be the signal for the beginning of an 
aggressive campaign to crush the objectors. Previous 
to this, those objectors, whom the Board of Inquiry 
saw fit to classify as not fully sincere, had been placed 
in the Fort Riley guard house. The story of the mis- 
treatment of these men (most of whom I knew person- 
ally) in the Fort Riley guard house, and later in the 
Camp Funston guard house, sounds like a return to. the 
days of the Spanish Inquisition, and the truth of their 
story was verified by the dismissal of certain of the 
officers responsible for the mistreatment and torture. 
These were largely political objectors, but certainly 
quite sincere in their beliefs and opposition to war. 

During the latter part of September, groups of the 
other objectors were being sent to the Fort Riley 
guard house. It seemed to be the policy to dispose of 
the tent colony first. On September 21, about twenty 
were transferred, largely Mennonites of the very best 
type. That make it easier to see what would be the 
fate of all others who were objectors not from con- 
venience but from conviction. 


330 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


On September 28, the remainder of the tent colony 
and the barracks group were taken to the shadow of 
the guard house, and in the presence of officers were 
formally ordered to police the parade ground. One 
who did not fully understand the import of the pro- 
ceeding asked the officer what he would be expected 
to do the following day, and received the answer, ‘‘ You 
will do whatever you are told to do.’’ There it was in 
a nutshell. We were being asked whether we would or 
would not accept military service. Over fifty refused 
and about eighty agreed to police. Those who refused 
were then transferred to the guard house. 


Before being admitted to the guard house we were 


searched and deprived of all money, surplus clothing, — 


books and writing materials. We were permitted to 
keep our Bibles. Forty-one were crowded into a large 
basement ¢ell which a medical officer later said prop- 
erly had a capacity of twenty-two. This cell had no 
windows, the little light and air coming down from the 
corridor above. Each day the concrete floor was 
flooded with water, and hence was damp about all of 
the time. Note that at this time the influenza epidemic 
was at its height. We cannot but believe that unsani- 
tary conditions in the guard house were largely respon- 
sible for the fact that seven and one-half days after 
we entered, twenty-five per cent. of the prisoners were 
in the hospital. Of course many others became sick 
later. It seems almost a miracle that of those who were 
sick, all recovered except John Wolfe of Maryland, a 
member of the Old German Baptist Church. Those re- 
sponsible for placing him in the dark, damp basement 
cell which was unfit for human life must assume the re- 
sponsibility for his martyr death. 

Approximately one hundred objectors were in Fort 
Riley guard house at one time. About twenty were 
transferred to Camp Funston guard house, and there 
endured unbelievable abuse and torture. The courts- 








FORT RILEY 331 





martial for the trial of both groups were held at Fun- 
ston. Hach day a large army truck backed up to the 
guard house and took six to ten of the men down the 
road for trial. It reminded one so much of the French 
Revolution and the taking of prisoners to the guillo- 
tine. 


At the courts-martial we had an opportunity to learn 
what is meant by ‘‘military justice.’’ Of course the 
jury and all court attendants were military officers. 
To be accused was to be guilty. We were to be tried 
according to the Articles of War, which we had never 
accepted and with which we were not familiar; and 
yet we were denied access to a copy of the Articles for 
the preparation of a defense. False witnesses were in- 
troduced against us, and truly their witness agreed not 
together. Some were so badly discredited that they 
were no longer used, and other false witnesses testified 
in their stead. One farmer boy exercised his right to 
act as his own attorney and cross-examined Lieutenant 
Carter and had him to admit that his testimony in the 
case was not true. That admission became a part of 
the record of the ease, and no doubt can be found on 
file in Washington today, but the objector was found 
guilty nevertheless, and received the usual sentence of 
twenty-five years at Fort Leavenworth Military Prison, 
and the inevitable solitary confinement on bread and 
water, chained to the bars nine hours a day. 


After the trials, groups of objectors were taken to 
Fort Leavenworth from time to time. In our cases we 
were not told where we were going or even what our 
sentences were until after we were at the prison several 
days. It is not my province to write up the prison ex- 
periences but I cannot forbear noting the constant 
endeavor to crush the human spirits of a man and to 
regard him as a mere thing without inalienable rights, 
without individuality, without the liberty to do any- 


832 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 



























thing except what he was told as he was told and when a 
he was told.” 
Anecdotes of experiences at Fort Riley could brake 
ably be collected sufficient to fill a book, but space does 
not permit that. To those of us who were privileged ‘i 
to be there, Fort Riley must remain a symbol of pleas- 
ant fellowship with others who were moved by the 
same righteous cause, and were ready to face any peril 
and even death rather than yield their sincere convie- 
tions and religious beliefs at the behest of the powers 
of evil operating through the military organization. It 
is my hope and prayer that the rising generation may 
make itself familiar with the price that righteousness 
has had to pay in past centuries in order to preserve 
the truth and hand it down unpolluted by evil. The ye 
lives of twenty centuries of martyrs may inspire them 
and give them the strength that they will need in the 
day of trial. Mauriee A. Hess, a 
McPherson College, McPherson, Kansas. 
“Members of Church of the Brethren at Fort Riley: 
In Guard House—Ezra E. Barnhart, Overbrook Kan- B : 
sas; Martin S. Duncan, Okonoko, W. Va.; Aden E. 
Heckman, Lehmasters, Pa.; Perey H. Peters, — 
Rocky Mount, Va.; Homer M. Reed, Floyd, Va. ; . 
Joseph B. Wilson, Gallas Va. 
Policed Parade Ground—Benj. F. Jamison, Quinter, 4 é 
Kansas; Howard 8. Stamm, Mountville, Pa. 
In Cavalry Hay Field—Joseph C. Lengel, Hermas, Col.; 
Frank R. Silvius, Hope, Kansas. . 
Members of Old German Baptist Church at Fort 
Riley: % 
In Guard House—Robert E. inh Ladiesburg, Marys 
land, Maurice A. Hess, Mont Alto, Pennsylvania; — 
yenne L. Kessler, ee Kansas; Jesse Wingert, 4 
Mecland: 
*Died in Fort Riley Hospital. 


ANECDOTES 33d 





We are indebted to Brother Aden E. Heckman for 
the following anecdote: ‘‘Major Kellogg told us that 
we would have to stand retreat and then asked if any 
objected. Hess, one of the Old Order Dunkers quoted 
from Daniel 3. ‘The three Hebrew children, Shadrack, 
Meshack, and Abednego refused to fall down and wor- 
ship the golden image, set up by King Nebuchadnezzar 
when they would hear the sound of music.’ The Major 
paused and hung his head and then:said he is narrow; 
but did not say he was wrong. That was the last we 
heard about standing retreat.’’ 


The difficulty with which records were preserved can 
only be understood by seeing a diary written on small 
tissue papers that could be concealed with Brother 
Hess’s safety razor outfit. Brain storm and insanity 
are not unusual in these prisons. Though no word 
could reach the outside world at the time, a condition 
painful alike to the prisoners and to their friends, re- 
ports are available from many sources which describe 
the hardships. Here is a Christian epistle from Fort 
Riley hospital: | 


‘*God bless me so that I shall be able to write this 
letter to my dear family, to my dear wife, Mary, and 
our sweet children Vasia and Nura. I wish you the 
best in this world and in the future world in Heaven. 


‘‘Now I will deseribe to you what we lived through 
since August 2, 1918. An officer came to us and said, 
‘You must become soldiers.’ Then he said, ‘We will 
force you to.’ We answered, ‘Force is with you.’ 


“‘The horn blew to go out to drill. We did not go 
out. Every four soldiers took hold of every one of us. 
_ They took me on their arms and put me in the row. I 
lifted my arms to God and prayed him to help me, and 
then I fell on the ground. They lifted me up again. 
They took Moisy the same way. He also resisted and 
fell on the ground and prayed. They did the same with 


334 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


Fedor, who fell on the ground as a dead man, and the 
same they did with Jacob. 

‘“The Colonel ordered to bring a fire hose. The spirit 
of God supported us and we were ready, even to be 


shot down. When they found out that none of us would 


obéy their orders, they commanded to turn on the water 
and put the fire hose against our faces. After being 
tortured like that for two hours, half dead, we were 
dragged back to prison, where we thanked God for 
his mercy. 

‘‘A soldier told us to prepare our meal, but we re- 
fused and did not eat for eight days. At last the doctors 


came and told us we were going to Fort Riley. As we | 
could not move, many soldiers packed up our things’ 
and put us on wagons, which carried us to the station. © 
Now I am in the hospital and the others are in prison. 


‘‘When we got here they began to torture us again. 
They dragged me like an animal with rope around my 


neck. They peeled the skin off my neck. They shaved 


my head. They cut my ears.. They tore my shirt in 
pieces and wanted to put me in a uniform. I did not 





count how many times they beat me. They pulled the 


hairs off my head like feathers. I was motionless. I 
only prayed to God to take me away from this world 
of horrors. . 

‘‘Goodby, my dears. Pray God to give me strength 
to stand all the pains of my soul and body.”’ 

In Fort Leavenworth ‘‘Hole’’ privations were ex- 
treme as experienced by Brethren, Heckman, P. Peters, 
Dunean, Oliver, Hess, Fox, ete., of the thirty-five who 
were put into solitary confinement on account of their 
convictions. Brother Heckman states that upon arrival 
at U.S. D. P. they were searched of their belongings. 
After a few days of prison routine (November 16-19), 


they were assigned to prison work. ‘‘The work of the 


Military Prison is all military work and this institution 
is used as an instrument to discipline disobedient sol- 


ANECDOTES 339 


MUTASE OE NS 


diers. If I, (Aden E. Heckman), could have accepted 
the work of this institution I could have accepted the 
work of the army.’’ They were sentenced to solitary 
confinement, sixth wing, sub-basement, handcuffed to 
iron bars nine hours a day standing; diet, bread and 
water; bed, concrete floor; not even a Bible in eell. 


Hess describes the first fourteen days in solitary con 
finement as ‘‘Real.’’ The guard was a bad fellow, hav- 
ing spent practically all his life in reformatories, houses 
of correction and prisons in general. He used many of 
the objectors badly. One who had been decorated 
while in prison with a Carnegie Hero Medal for having 
saved a woman from drowning, fell into his disfavor 
and was maltreated. However, Hess, with his usual 
tact, had him believe himself extra bright when he 
stole an egg biscuit sandwich and slipped it to him. So 
after a time the Brethren adapted themselves to the 
diet.. They would pick out the crusts of bread and chew 
them well. Even the third party to get a turkey leg 
relished it because by long sucking of the bone a little 
fat was extracted. 


Several weeks after the armistice was signed Rev. 
J. D. Mininger and Mr. King, Kansas Mennonites, got 
permission to go down to the solitary cells. Their sym- 
pathy went out to the men behind the bars when they 
saw the manacled hands down the line like steer horns. 
The names and addresses of friends at home were taken. 
The sad news of the whereabouts of the boys was wel- 
come. And the service of correspondence was greatly 
appreciated. That same day a colonel from Washing- 
ton, D. C. also visited the ‘‘Hole.’’ When it was re- 
quested’ he ordered the Bibles restored. This was a 
great treat. Hess got his Greek Testament, which dur- 
ing the long hours while chained to the bars he man- 
aged to read on the sly. Let the newspapers poke fun 
at the low mentality of the conscientious objectors. 


36 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


CO 








There were several in Fort Leavenworth who had been | 
awarded degreés by our greatest universities. Poa 

The good fortune of living in a group can scarcely — 
be overestimated. A few were isolated and fared badly. 
Howard Stamm of Mountville, Pennsylvania, agreed to 
police parade grounds at Fort Riley, thus lost the moral “~~ i. 
support of Hess, Heckman, etc. Being of recent con- 
version to our church he knew not how to look after 
his interests. Enduring persecution, we know he lost 
his mind temporarily and was discharged. Our camp 
visitor, Central Service Committee and an army officer 
are responsible for his safe return. , 

An Old Order Brother Edgar Benedict was taken 
with spinal menengitis while on one of the strenuous 
hikes in the summer of 1918. While he was in the hos- 
pital in Camp Meade his companions were examined. § | 
His companion of same status was furloughed. He, how- 
ever, recovered, was ordered to remount detachment of 
Q. M. C. He refused the uniform. Stockades and prison 
were his lot. In transferring him from Stockades of — og 
Camp Meade to Leavenworth he was handcuffed to a 
colored murderer as if he were more criminal than the 
dozens others who had committed some offence. 

The struggle with these Brethren as well as many 
others experienced can be classed as severe persecution. 
Theirs is the type of persecution several of our ministers 
endured. | , 

Brother John A. Rolinsom is mentioned in connection 
with Camp Dodge. Among others who were threatened 
with imprisonment and consequent separation from 
wives, children, and homes are Brother J. S. Sherfy, 
Bloom, Kansas, and Brother J. S. Geiser, Froid, Mon- 
tana. The sorrowing moments, sleepless nights, to say 
nothing of the expense for legal counsel were the price 
of an unchaste statement that reached an ear waiting 
for a chance to formulate slander and devise sedition 
even though false witnesses had to be hired. 


ANECDOTES 337 





There were, however, Brethren sentenced to the Fed- 
eral Prison because of alleged sedition The camp vis- 
itor, J. H. Crist, reports Brother David Geredes and 
John Manas in the Federal Prison, Fort Leavenworth, 
Brother Gerede’s own account is the best conclusion we 
have for this effort. 


‘*Morrison, Ill., March 29, 1922. 
*“My Dear Brother: 

“*T will try again at giving my experience during the 
late war. 

‘““When the request came out to invest in ‘Liberty 
Bonds’ it was stated how much ammunition and equip- 
ment the several stated amounts would purchase. This 
put me to thinking. I concluded that since there was 
no law requiring subscribing to this fund, that I as a 
Christian could not conscientiously and voluntarily in- 
vest in said bonds. Later I learned of many who took 
the same stand. 


‘‘However, this soon became a live question in the 
community and gave rise to mob rule whereby some 
persons suffered the indignity of having their buildings 
disfigured, and some hans their person treated to 
yellow paint. 

‘‘TIn the church of which I was (and am now) the 
elder in charge, there were a brother and sister, who 
more patriotic than spiritual, took advantage of what 
I said in a council meeting held in the church on June 
16, 1918. When urging my brethren to missionary 
effort I said I knew that some of our brethren were in- 
vesting in bonds and some were not, but that whatever 
they did, they did conscientiously. Then I gave my 
position on the bond question as above stated. 

“On July 5th, 1918, my son Wayne and I were or- 
dered to report to the board of exemption at Freeport, 
Illinois. My son for re-examination—he a minister— 
was released, his exemption being legal. Then I was 


338 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


questioned as to my position relative to the war. After 
stating same I was told that I did not believe the Bible. 
Then I was questioned relative to my statements made 
at a certain meeting. I related said statements as I 
made them, and here I learned of other statements that 
were misconstrued, and false. They were held against 
me nevertheless. I was then told that this was all for 
the present. I went home. 

‘‘Some days later our county sheriff and a federal 
officer called at my home and I was presented with a 
warrant for my arrest for ‘‘ willingly, knowingly, and 
feloniously’’ obstructing the draft. I was taken to Free- 
port and placed in the county jail. The next day I was 
taken before Commissioner Vance and gave bond for 
my appearance at court, having sent for my wife and 
brother whom I called by phone on my way to Free- 
port. After giving satisfactory assurance for my ap- 
pearance I was taken home by my Brother Lemuel who 
came in his ear, 

‘‘On my return home I went to Morrison and _ en- 
gaged legal counsel and on the following Monday went 
to Freeport for my preliminary hearing and was bound 
over to the federal grand jury which rendered an in- 
dictment. 

‘‘In October I was with my counsel called to Rock- 
ford, Illinois, to be given a date for trial. The day set 
was November 18, 1918. 

‘‘On the day set for trial my counsel and I went to 
Rockford. Having waived a jury I came before Judge 
Kenesaw Mountain Landis, whose grandfather was a 
minister in the Brethren church. 

‘‘Upon meeting the judge I was asked to make a 
statement relative to my remarks which I did. He then 
asked me to make a statement relative to what I said 
on Mother’s Day. I then gave an account of my state- 
ments on that day, that it had been said by a certain 
woman that it was too bad for mothers to raise boys 





ANECDOTES 339 





for cannon fodder. I said that mothers should raise 
boys for the Lord, that if all mothers had raised sons 
for the Lord this great war would be impossible. Then 
he asked me what I would do if the Germans under- 
took to assault my family. I said that I am not al- 
lowed by the teachings of Christ to kill anybody. 

“You notice in this trial the judge cut short my priv- 
ilege to state in full what I wanted to say. He then 
asked me if I would continue to preach such stuff if he 
would let me go home. I answered that by God’s 
grace I would preach the word. 

‘“‘IT was also reported as having opposed the ‘‘Far- 
mers’ Institute’ held in the church house because of 
patriotic songs that were common and apt to be used 
in the meeting. This is absolutely false. The brother 
making this report was president of the Institute and 
a short time before the meeting I received a message 
over the phone wanting to know if I had objections to 
granting the use of the church house for said meeting. 
I replied that I had not seen the program, therefore 
could not say. The real reason that I could not give 
my consent under said condition was that in many pro- 
grams of today there is great delight taken in a bur- 
lesque of the church. 

‘‘This part of my trial required witnesses not pres- 
ent. The judge therefore remanded me to jail, setting 
November 20 for a continuation of the trial. 

‘‘Heretofore I seemingly had some consideration. 
The jailor in Freeport was polite and accommodating 
but he of Rockford was surly and apparently without 
human feeling. Here I was placed in a ward among 
cigarette fiends and after one week had expired I was 
a very sick man. 

*“On November 20 I was again brought before Judge 
Landis, this time to listen to his examination of wit- 
- nesses who had not been there before, but it was very 
few of them that he had any use for. To the first three 


340 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 


he put the question, what would you do if the Germans 
attacked your family? but their testimony was that they 
would not by the teaching of Christ be allowed to kill. 
Those witnesses were immediately sent out of the court 


room. The next was asked if he thought it was right 
to allow men to violate the honor of women; witness — 


replies no, the judge then said that I told him that I 
would not raise a hand. (The judge told an absolute 
untruth.) I said that I would not kill, nevertheless the 
witness said that I have Scripture to that effect but 
that he did not think so. The next witness was asked 
if he thought it right to teach men to violate the hon- 
or of women. Answer no. 


‘“‘The judge then turned to me and’ asked if I had . 


anything to say when my counsel asked permission to 
question my complainant. He said to her, is it not true 
that your husband had ill feelings toward the prisoner 


and is acting through malice? After a long pause she ~ 


said, I don’t think sa. 

‘‘When entering the court she took the oath with 
upraised hand and tells what she knows to be false. 

‘‘When the judge told me that all I did was pur- 
posely to obstruct the draft, I gave him a straight look 
and said, ‘Judge, I see what you are doing.’ Thus the 
trial ended, I receiving a sentence of ten years in 
Leavenworth Prison. 

‘On the evening of this 20th day of November, 1918, 
I was taken to Chicago, Illinois. On arriving at the 
Cook County jail I was taken to the receiving depart- 
ment, there to undergo a physical examination, treated 
to a bath and placed in a receiving cell for the night. 
This was my first experience in contact with the dire 
depravity of the human race. Here was filth that beg- 
gars description, disease in a most indescribable form. 
When we were taken into the receiving department 
there was an old gentleman sentenced at the time I 
was, later released, we were placed in a cell to await 


a ay a —— ; 
So ee oo 


. 

4 
\ 

y 





ae he 
ra a 


ANECDOTES B41 





our turn. There we stood in human excrement, the 
stench of which was almost unbearable, not only on 
the floor but the sides also about four feet up were also 
in the same condition. This is indeed a disgrace to not 
only Cook County but to civilization as well- 

‘After physical examination and! bath we were given 
- our cell numbers and placed in a cell in this department 
for the night. The next morning we were breakfasted 
on soup and bread, after which we were taken to the 
cell house and placed in eells. At 12 o’clock the noon 
meal, consisting of ripe fish and half fried potatoes was - 
brought to us, and at’2 o’clock P. M. we were left out 
of our cells for one-half hour’s exercise in the bull pen. 
We now discovered that the jail was crowded to its 
-eapacity, three inmates in nearly every cell. Here we 
remained from the morning of the 21st until the even- 
ing of the 22nd, when I was ealled into the officers’ 
department and there given my first experience im 
chains, and was so taken to the federal building by the 
Chicago police who delivered us to the federal author- 
ities While waiting here a U. 8. Marshal, a fine appear- 
ing man, approached me and said, ‘Is this Reverend 
Gerdes?’ Upon being assured that it was, he extended 
his hand and gripping mine most heartily said that he 
had just been listening to a report of my trial by a 
marshal who was there, he said further that it is just 
such men as you that will be in demand when peace is 
restored. He then went to the marshal and speaking 
to him pointed toward me, and left the building. 

‘(While waiting here others were brought in and 
when it came time to leave there were nine of us, who 
were put in chains and’ taken to the station and placed 
on the train that was to take us on our way to Leaven- 
worth Federal Prison, Kansas. 

‘“¢The marshal who had us in charge had an assistant, 
in whose eare he left the prisoners, and ordering my 
chains removed, took me into his private apartment 


349, CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





and. treated me like a man, the chains were removed 
at Chicago, Illinois, and were not since put on me. 

‘‘On the afternoon of November 23rd.we arrived at 
the prison which is built on a rise about one-fourth 
mile northwest of Leavenworth, Kansas. The federal — 
reserve, which comprises several hundred acres joins 
on to the city. On this reservation, Leavenworth prison, 
which is the civil prison, and Fort Leavenworth the 
military prison, are located about one and _ onehalf 
miles apart. 

‘‘The first act upon arriving at the prison was the 
delivering of their guns by the marshal and. his assis- 
tant. No one on the grounds is allowed to carry a gun 
because it would not be long until some one else had 


it in his possession especially inside the walls. Those — 


who guard the prison proper are in fortified towers. 
Prisoners who work in outside gangs are picked men 
and are overseen by guards who carry rifles simply to | 
keep them from running away. 

‘““We now approach a large solid steel plate door 
which is mechanically raised by an attendant, giving 
entrance into a large antechecamber or prison, next a 
steel gate is entered where our names are recorded, 
and even through another steel gate into a large hall 
occupied by officers on either side. In one of these 
rooms we are searched and our belongings, if any, are 
taken from us and we are now placed in quarantine for 
a few days, after which we ‘‘dressed in’’—that is 
shaved, bathed and were given our prison dress, which 
in this case is a uniform of blue with brass buttons. 
In the course of time we have gone through the entire 
role of having our photograph taken, weighed, mea- 
sured by the Bertillion system, finger prints, vaccina- 
tion, ete. (In process of this ‘dressing in’ I contracted 
a severe cold on account of a radical change in the 
weather and the removal of a heavy beard). 

‘‘ After ‘dressing in’ we were taken before the dep- 





ANECDOTES 343 


uty and assigned our work, I being assigned to the 
kitchen, where my work consisted in keeping the cap- 
tain’s stand clean, washing the marble finish and’ serv- 
ing mess. Those serving mess are given a white coat, 
apron, and cap to be used while serving. It may be 
interesting to some to know that the dimensions of this 
mess hall as measured by me were sixty-eight steps 
long by thirty-eight steps wide, with five rows of tables, 
forty-two tables in each row, accommodating twelve 
hundred and sixty at each setting. During the time 
that I served in the kitchen I was locked in a eell at 
night. 

‘<Shortly after entering the prison I received notice 
to report to Mr. Allen, the chaplain, who inquired into 
my case, and after learning who I was, greeted me very 
friendly, giving me the address of Brother I. H. Christ 
of McLouth, Kansas, who was a friend of his and often 
came to the prison. He also gave me valuable informa- 
tion, as to what I would find in prison. Later Brother 
Christ came to visit me; and right here let me say that 
no one, only those who have the experience of prison, 
ean know what it means to receive such visits, or to 
receive letters from friends. The mental depression is 
awful, brought about, no doubt, from the narrow space 
allowed in the cell, and rules which do not allow one 
to think for himself, or in other words use initiative. 

‘‘Here one meets life in all its phases, every social 
condition imaginable is found here, white, black, yel 
low, red, and from almost every land on the globe. 
Here also are congressmen, legislators, judges, lawyers, 
doctors, ministers, here is intelligence and ignorance. 
You meet the patriotic and the anarchist, the depraved 
and the gentleman, and some whom I believe to be true 
Christians. Here is also a wide range of disposition, 
such as humor, pathos, sadness, hilarity, many dissatis- 
fied, also many perfectly contented. 

‘“Now have you any idea of what order obtains in 


344. CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





such surroundiigs? The evil is prominent because it 
is in the majority and it is impossible under such cir- 
cumstances to keep people from committing crime or 
to keep articles or material from those who are de- 
termined to do wrong: Hence we have the dope fiend 
who manages to get his dope, the drunkard his drink, 
and the counterfeiter to pursue his art. The dope fiend 
becomes hilarious, the drinker drunk, there is theft 
committed, and you are in continual danger of injury. 
Nearly every day there would be some of gang number 
2, which was composed of blacks, appear at mess with 
their heads bandaged. So frequently are disturbances 
that I was obliged to pass through two riots in the mesy 
hall because the prisoners were not pleased with the 
grub,—especially meats which are ripe. Cups, saucers 
and plates are dangerous ammunition at close range. 
However, I received no injury in either case. 

‘‘Saturday afternoon was a half holiday in the prison 
and we had a good chance to become acquainted with 
each other as we were thrown together in the park. 

‘‘During my stay at Leavenworth I was fairly well 
treated by the guard, as they learned who I was, and 
that I did not oppose them in any way. I was given 
ehureh and Sunday school privileges which I appre- 
ciated, and was chosen teacher of a class which was 
composed of one judge, two doctors, one lawyer, and 
eight others. This was the most interesting class I 
ever taught. 

‘‘On the other hand, the treatment I received from 
the prisoners consisted of minor indignities by the de- 
praved in heart and in mind, who conjured all manner 
of foolish and filthy questions to which I replied that 
no man had ever placed such questions on record. 

‘‘During this time of strife there were many who be- 
cause of the conscientious convictions were imprisoned, 
most of such are good people. 

‘“‘The federal prison in line with its system conducts 





ANECDOTES 345 





a school which gives instruction in nearly all branches 
of learning, and of this privilege I took advantage. This 
school sends out many graduates. I also made free use 
of the library placed here for the benefit of those who 
would avail themselves of the privilege. In this man- 
ner I was employed until about the 11th of June, 1919. 
In the meantime the attorney general Gregory resigned 
and Mr. Palmer was put in his place, making a great 
change in conditions in the country. 


‘‘Judge Landis was disqualified, because of preju- 
dice toward all of German descent, from presiding in 
such cases as mine, (in fact he did not send any one 
on such ease since he sentenced me) mob rule banished 
-and the sentence of many prisoners commuted, mine 
among others. 


‘On June 1ith, 1919 I was called before the deputy 
and told that since I had a very short time to stay that 
I would receive a star attached to my uniform, made 
trusty, and placed outside the walls to work on the 
farm. Here I was granted almost complete freedom as 
I sometimes was more than a mile from any guard. This 
continued until September 8th when I received orders 
to report at the tailor shop to dress preparatory to re- 
turning home. Thus a sentence of ten years was short- 
ened to less than ten months. Before closing this de- 
seription of my experience I feel it my duty to state 
that I received very refreshing visits from both our 
brethren and also the Mennonite brethren, which were 
much appreciated, and I trust God will reward them 
according to his riches in merey through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. And to those my brethren who so faithfully 


346 CHRISTIANITY Versus WAR 





stood by and assisted me in my sore trial, I owe a debt 
of gratitude that I can never repay. May Gods rich- 
est blessings be theirs. 


On September 9th I arrived home, found all well but 
noticed that both wife and daughter had suffered much 
from their sad experience. Fraternally, 

D.. E Gerdes.’’ 


CONCLUSION 


Now that more than five years has elapsed since the 
war and men everywhere are crying ‘‘Peace, peace,”’ 
let us renew our faith in the Prince of Peace, lest sud- 
den destruction come. Let every brother resolve to 
take no part in the next war either as a producer of 
war materials or asa soldier. Then alone can we wash 


our hands of blood guiltiness. Know ye that the pop- ~ 


ular disfavor, persecution, and even death may be your 
lots, there shall be a glorious dawn ‘‘For He careth for 
) 


you. 
April 2, 1924. 





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